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CBS News
12 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Income brackets announced for free, reduced-price school lunches in Michigan
The household income brackets for Michigan students who are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch at school have been announced by the Michigan Department of Education. During the past two years, all Michigan public school students could get free meals at school under the Michigan School Meals program that combined federal and state funds to pay for cafeteria service. However, because the state budget for the upcoming year has not been approved, Michigan school districts do not yet know whether funding will be available for the free meal program. Without state or district money filling in the budget gaps, breakfast and lunch assistance reverts to household income brackets in a formula set by the federal government. A limited household income means all children in that family get free school meals; a slightly higher amount of household income allows their families to purchase meals at a lower cost. Unless their district has announced it will provide free meals this year, families must complete an application to get the free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch assistance. There are some exceptions to household income rules, such as free meals automatically approved for children in foster care. Families can submit an application at any time during the year should circumstances change, such as for a loss of paycheck due to unemployment. In some cases, school districts ask all families to fill out the application because the overall income information can help the district qualify for other grants and programs. For the 2025-26 school year, the annual household income brackets that apply to Michigan residents include the following: Cafeteria pricing is set by each school or district, according to the School Nutrition Association, with cost and menu plans relayed during school year registration. Students often can bring their own lunches to school, but a recent study says costs are rising for food items commonly packed in a homemade lunch.
CBS News
11-08-2025
- General
- CBS News
Who will get free school meals in Michigan schools this year?
Whether or not Michigan students will continue to get a free school breakfast and lunch this coming school year will be on a hit-and-miss basis, as districts scramble to confirm available funding and make budget decisions. In response, many preK-12 schools have taken to social media or parent letters to explain the circumstances and what families can expect when classes begin. The hurdle is that the Michigan state budget for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 has not yet been approved. State lawmakers imposed on themselves a July 1 deadline for approving the upcoming budget, but that has yet to happen for this coming year. So, what happens to the program known as Michigan School Meals, a project that combined federal and state funds starting in the 2023-24 academic year to provide a free breakfast and a free lunch for all public school students? No one knows yet whether it continues as a designated program, is added to the overall budget, or whether the funds have to come from another education expense. "That means there is a possibility that school meals may no longer be free for everyone," a social media post from Chippewa Hills High School in Remus said. That's why parents and guardians should pay close attention to announcements that come directly from their districts or school offices as back-to-school season ramps up. The schools that have promised to provide free meals until the fiscal year ends Sept. 30 include Sparta Area Schools in Kent County, Michigan Center School District in Jackson County and Midland Public Schools in Midland County. To give parents an idea of what to expect should the lunch expense resume, Midland said it would charge $3.70 a day for an elementary school lunch; and between $3.95 and $4.95 a day for secondary student lunches, depending on the menu selections. Huron Academy in Macomb County's Sterling Heights and Swartz Creek Community Schools in Genesee County are among those that have promised free meals for the entire year within the budgets they expect to receive. "If the Michigan School Meals bill is passed, we will be able to reinvest these additional funds into your child's meals, update our kitchens and equipment, and update cafe environments and furniture," Swartz Creek explained. Regardless of what happens with the state budget, there has long been federal assistance at participating schools for families who meet household income requirements. The income limits are updated every year and are based on the federal poverty level, along with household size. For the 2025-26 school year, the annual household income brackets that apply to Michigan residents include: Some districts, based on overall community demographics, can get a federal waiver for all of their students. Should that happen, there will be instructions from the school district on what to expect.
