LANSING, Mich. (Aug. 6, 2025) — Months ago, Senate Democrats passed a record education budget proposal that prioritizes the needs of Michigan students, parents, educators, and public schools, with ample time to negotiate and finalize a bipartisan state budget by the July 1 deadline — which is critical for schools who are tasked with setting their own budgets for the upcoming year.
And although it was entirely avoidable, Republican Speaker of the House Matt Hall and House Republicans stalled the budget process by failing to put forth an adequate education budget, missing that imperative deadline. Now, without knowing what funding they can rely on from the state, Michigan public schools have begun announcing the discontinuation of the free school meals program. In response, Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) has issued the following statement:
“With federal policies causing costs to continue to rise and a growing atmosphere of uncertainty in state and federal policies, you’d think the Republican party would be doing everything in its power to ensure no Michigan child goes without access to food. Yet House Republicans are still in no hurry to pass a realistic education budget as public schools are being forced to end the successful universal free breakfast and lunch program that has ensured access to healthy meals for millions of Michigan students. Make no mistake: as Republicans continue to play political games instead of working on a budget, Michigan children will go hungry, and it is unconscionable.
“Matt Hall hasn’t been a serious negotiator throughout the budget process, and House Republicans’ half-hearted school budget would gut our public education system — cutting funding for special education, school safety, at-risk students, mental health services, technical education, and the popular universal school meals program. As a former teacher and Chair of the Senate Education Committee, the health and well-being of our students is one of my top priorities, and I won’t back down until we have an education budget that puts our kids first.”