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Saline board approves meal-price adjustment, cites state funding uncertainty; vote 7-0
Summary
Board approved a meal-price adjustment effective Oct. 1, 2025, as a procedural step while the state budget and federal/state meal funding remain in flux; MDE guidance advised districts to continue serving meals and suggested retroactive funding could apply.
At its Sept. 30 meeting, the Saline Area Schools Board of Education approved a motion to adopt a meal-price adjustment effective Oct. 1, 2025. The motion was moved by Trustee Tim and seconded by Trustee Lauren Gold; the board voted unanimously in favor (7-0).
District administrators framed the vote as a required procedural step to have updated prices on record while uncertainty persists about state budget action on universal school-meal funding. Miranda, who came forward to speak for the food-service team, said the motion was being requested to align prices with current data and federal guidance so the district would be prepared in case state funding did not continue.
Superintendent Dr. Kowalski and other staff summarized guidance received from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) on Sept. 25: districts should continue serving breakfast and lunch exactly as they had since the start of the school year and should not change practices while state decisions remain pending. Staff said the MDE had communicated optimism about state funding but that districts should plan for both possibilities. Board members also asked about the district's legal and financial options if state funds were not forthcoming: administrators said the food-service fund legally cannot go negative, explained that the district covered food-service shortfalls with general-fund transfers during COVID, and reported they had received commitments that state support would be retroactive to Oct. 1 if approved.
The motion referenced a proposal submitted by Larry D'Andrea, director of food service; the transcript did not include the proposed dollar amounts. Administrators said the approved motion does not itself change whether students receive meals; rather it records updated prices in case the state meal program ends. Trustee discussion included appeals to respect student food-insecurity issues and to prioritize clear family communication should operational changes become necessary.
Ending: The board approved the motion 7-0; staff said they will continue coordinating with MDE and communicate with families should the operational status of meal funding change.
