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Marquette board approves temporary General Fund support to keep student meals free
Summary
On Sept. 30 the Marquette Area Public Schools Board voted 6–0 to temporarily use General Fund dollars to cover unreimbursed student breakfasts and lunches starting Oct. 1, 2025, and continuing until the State of Michigan adopts a FY2026 budget or Nov. 7, 2025. The board directed staff to revert funding immediately if the State restores the program.
The Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Sept. 30 to temporarily finance universal student breakfasts and lunches from the district General Fund while the State budget remains unsettled.
"I move that the Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education temporarily approve the use of General Fund revenues, to cover the unreimbursed cost of student breakfast and lunch meals for all students, effective October 1, 2025, and continuing until the approval and enactment of the State of Michigan's budget for Fiscal Year 2026 or until November 7, 2025," said Trustee Jennifer Klipp as she moved the measure; Trustee Cherryl Maddox-Smith seconded and the motion carried 6–0. The motion spelled out that the district will cease General Fund support immediately if the State budget funds universal meals, or continue through Nov. 7, 2025 if it does not.
Assistant Superintendent James Lampman told the board the State-funded universal free meals program was funded only through the current day and that "we have not heard anything coming out of Lansing as far as what they intend to do with regard to education." Lampman said the district cannot use its School Lunch Fund to subsidize meals and estimated the cost of continuing with General Fund dollars at about $6,500 per day and roughly $182,000 to extend the program through Nov. 7, 2025. He also reported he had asked the Michigan Department of Education whether such a General Fund expenditure would be allowable but had not received a confirmation.
Food Service Manager Chris Collins told the board that two buildings participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) — Graveraet Elementary School and the Marquette Alternative High School — and described operational safeguards to protect student privacy. Board members said they favored giving families as much advance notice as possible and urged state lawmakers to settle the budget promptly so the district could avoid an extended draw on the General Fund.
The board's temporary authorization requires staff to seek full State reimbursement if the State subsequently funds universal meals and to stop General Fund support as soon as that occurs; if the State does not fund the program, the district will continue funding through Nov. 7, 2025 and then revert to prior meal pricing and policy.
