Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board warns about cuts outlined in US House budget
The U.S. House of Representatives voted narrowly Tuesday night to pass a budget resolution that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education members say could endanger Medicaid and free school meals for thousands of CMS students.
Without the funding, board member Summer Nunn says the district may face “some tough decisions” about how to fund services for students who rely on free school meals or have disabilities that require an Individualized Education Program, or IEP.
“There’s a good chance a lot more kids aren’t going to get free and reduced lunch, and we’re going to have to make some hard decisions on how we fund those resources for our kids that need it,” Nunn said.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education signed a letter to local representatives Friday expressing concern about the budget resolution, saying it would result in cuts to programs CMS students depend on.
“Providing a high-quality public education to all children is our mission,” the letter said. “To achieve that mission, we need to ensure that children have access to all the resources they need to excel, not only for themselves, but for their families, and future generations of well-educated citizens.”
Over 17,000 students in CMS currently depend on more than $16 million in Medicaid benefits, according to the letter. If the resolution passes, the letter said, more than 40,000 CMS students in over 100 schools face the possibility of being removed from the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, which allows all students at low-income schools to receive free school meals.
Supporters of the resolution say the cuts are needed to pay for more than $300 billion in new immigration and defense spending, per President Donald Trump’s spending priorities.
While U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat from Charlotte, expressed support for the board’s argument, Reps. Mark Harris and Tim Moore, Republicans from the Charlotte region, did not. They argued that while the budget resolution calls for federal spending cuts of $2 trillion, it does not explicitly outline cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known as SNAP).
“The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education’s letter is not based in reality,” Harris told Queen City News Monday. “The House Budget Resolution does not include any specific programmatic cuts to Medicaid or school nutrition programs. The resolution directs committees to reform programs and eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.”
However, the budget resolution does require the House Energy and Commerce Committee — which oversees Medicaid spending — to find $880 billion in cuts to federal programs. It also requires a $230 billion cut from the House Agriculture Committee, which oversees SNAP.
Furthermore, the budget resolution directs the House Education and Workforce Committee to cut at least $330 billion over the next 10 years. CEP falls under its jurisdiction.
Concerns over social services
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concerns that funds for Medicaid and other social services would be on the chopping block.
However, after a long day of back and forth Tuesday, just one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, joined all House Democrats in voting against it.
The House passed the resolution by a margin of one vote. The Trump-backed resolution now must pass in the Senate for the budget process to move forward as outlined.
“Harris and Moore’s argument is that technically these cuts are in another bill,” said Charles Jeter, CMS director of government affairs, policy and board communications, Tuesday. “But by passing this one, that one passes… It’s nonsensical.”
Jeter argues while the resolution doesn’t explicitly make cuts to Medicaid, SNAP or school meal programs, it lays out directions that make those cuts highly likely.
“If I punch you in the jaw and it causes you to fall and break your leg, did I break your leg?” Jeter said. “Under their argument, no. I just broke your jaw. I didn’t touch your leg. But I think we can all agree I was responsible for breaking the leg, too.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM.
