Michigan § 388.1631d.amended - Reimbursement to districts and other eligible entities providing lunch programs, child nutrition programs, and food distribution programs.

(1) From the state school aid fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $29,553,400.00 for 2026-2027 for the purpose of making payments to districts and other eligible entities under this section.

(2) The amounts allocated from state sources under this section are used to pay the amount necessary to reimburse districts for 6.0127% of the necessary costs of the state mandated portion of lunch programs provided by those districts. The department shall calculate the amount due to each district under this section using the methods of calculation adopted by the Michigan supreme court in the consolidated cases known as Durant v State of Michigan, 456 Mich 175 (1997).

(3) The payments made under this section include all state payments made to districts so that each district receives at least 6.0127% of the necessary costs of operating the state mandated portion of the lunch program in a fiscal year.

(4) The payments made under this section to districts and other eligible entities that are not required under section 1272a of the revised school code, MCL 380.1272a, to provide a lunch program must be in an amount not to exceed $10.00 per eligible pupil plus 5 cents for each free lunch and 2 cents for each reduced price lunch provided, as determined by the department.

(5) From the federal funds appropriated in section 11, there is allocated for 2026-2027 all available federal funding, estimated at $418,267,600.00 for child nutrition programs and, for 2026-2027, all available federal funding, estimated at $100.00, for food distribution programs.

(6) Notwithstanding section 17b, the department shall make payments to eligible entities other than districts under this section on a schedule determined by the department.

(7) In purchasing food for a lunch program funded under this section, a district or other eligible entity shall give preference to food that is grown or produced by Michigan businesses if it is competitively priced and of comparable quality.

(8) In addition to the appropriations in section 11, if the amount allocated in subsection (1) is insufficient to fully reimburse districts for meals as required under this section, there is appropriated from the school meals reserve fund created under section 30e the amount necessary to fully fund these reimbursements.