With the state budget not yet decided, statewide funding for the Michigan School Meals program (which allows free meals to all K-12 students in public schools regardless of income) could end on Sept. 30, so Ludington Area School District set rates for meal prices for the 2025-2026 school year at the Board of Education meeting on Monday to help get the process rolling in case state funding does not go through.

“Since meals have been free the past couple of years, we’ve not increased them to keep up with rates of food costs,” said Superintendent Kyle Corlett, who shared some statewide newspaper headlines showing what is at stake with the uncertainty that the program will continue.

The school plans on providing free meals through September, but wants to prepare families for October 1 if the

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