The Michigan Legislature passed a $21.3B school aid budget to secure school meals and increase funds for students in Michigan schools. This means that school lunches will remain free at Spring Lake High School for the foreseeable future.
Districts like Spring Lake were awaiting this decision to start the year, in a rare predicament. Spring Lake families were notified they may have needed to begin paying for lunch, and the district was prepared to dip into its own local funds to keep lunch free.
Lawmakers worked on this budget into the early morning of Friday October 3. The deal was passed by the Senate with a vote of 31-5, all five against being Republicans. It was then passed by the House with a vote of 104-5, with five against being both Republicans and Democrats.
Education finds is one of the most valued funding in both chambers. Each party expressed different ways to support K-12 schools and universities. Education funding has increased from last year by $600 million, with funding per student at a record of $1050. In specific school lunches and breakfast funds have increased by $7 million.
The funding comes from State Funds and Federal Programs, each of which increase student access to resources, this year’s total coming down to $10.61 billion.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement that the budget will “feed every child free meals at school, help our students succeed academically, and ensure Michiganders are safe in their communities.”
