Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Food Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves meal price adjustment, board cites state budget uncertainty and MDE guidance
Summary
The Saline Area Schools Board approved a meal-price adjustment effective Oct. 1, 2025, by a 7–0 vote while district staff said the state budget and MDE guidance may make the change unnecessary or retroactive.
The Saline Area Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Sept. 30 to approve a meal-price adjustment effective Oct. 1, 2025. The motion was moved by Trustee Tim and supported by Lauren Gold; the vote passed 7–0.
Superintendent Kowalski said the district proposed the adjustment so prices are current "in case" state support for free meals ends. Miranda, a district food-service representative who spoke to the board, said the motion is a required step to have updated prices on the record while state budget decisions are still pending.
"We are looking at the possibility of charging since the state budget is still in flux. This may never go into use because the free meals may continue, but in efforts to just take our prices and pull them up to today's things... we thought it wise to update those prices to some of the current data that we have, and so that we're prepared in case we need to go this direction," Miranda said.
Why it matters: changes to school meal pricing can affect families facing food insecurity. Board members asked about the district's legal and financial options if federal or state reimbursements change. District staff said they had received a Sept. 25 guidance memo from the Michigan Department of Education instructing districts to continue serving breakfast and lunch as they had since the start of the school year.
Board member Jason asked whether the district could use other funds and be reimbursed retroactively if the state ultimately funds meals; staff said that during COVID the district had temporarily covered the food-service fund from the general fund and that the state has indicated any transition could be retroactive to Oct. 1.
The board approved the consent motion and took the roll: "All in favor, please say aye"; there were no recorded no votes or abstentions. The district said it will notify families if the operational status changes and will follow MDE guidance while awaiting final state budget action.
