Program Updates
Early Learning Programs
If you haven't already done so, please review the April 12, 2021, P-EBT Bulletin on adding students from Early Learning Programs to the P-EBT portal.
There are four early learning programs that serve as the program qualifier for P-EBT: Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK), School Readiness Plus (SR+), Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) and early learning scholarships. The first three programs are reported in the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS). For early learning scholarships, you must enter grade level EE in the P-EBT portal because the students do not exist in MARSS.
The list of schools in the P-EBT portal has been updated to capture additional schools for entering early learning scholarship students.
Remember that early learning students in the programs listed above must attend a program that takes place in a building that operated the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Early learning students do not need to elect meals in that building in order to be eligible for P-EBT.
Summer P-EBT
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) extends P-EBT through the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently released a guidance memo to assist in the development of state plans to operate P-EBT for school children and younger children during summer 2021. Under ARPA, states may make P-EBT available this summer to children who were eligible for P-EBT benefits during the current school year. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Department of Human Services (DHS) are evaluating this guidance and will develop a plan for Minnesota summer P-EBT benefits. For more information, please review the P-EBT Summer 20201 Policy Memo and related P-EBT Summer 2021 Questions and Answers. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
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P-EBT May 2021 Update for Schools Webinar
Register for the P-EBT program updates webinar on Thursday, May 13, 2021, 8:30 - 9:45 a.m. Program updates will be provided, followed by a question and answer session. If we are unable to answer your specific questions during the webinar, please email us after the session.
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P-EBT Portal
This is a reminder that Friday, April 30, at 4 p.m., is the data deadline for January and February benefits that will be distributed to students in late May. You may re-upload a csv file of all free and reduced-price eligible students with changes or manually change student information in the portal. Refer to the Instructions for Manual Entry and Bulk Upload for guidance.
The P-EBT help desk staff at MDE are working quickly to assist schools with their questions. Refer to the April 23, 2021, P-EBT Bulletin for a description of school responsibilities and DHS call center responsibilities. If you are unable to assist a parent who has already contacted the DHS call center, contact us at pebt.mde@state.mn.us to investigate P-EBT portal issues in lieu of routing parents directly to MDE.
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School Distribution of Cards
Newly added students
For new student records added to the P-EBT portal by April 30, keep in mind that card delivery may occur after the end of the school year. You may update distribution preference and parent address information for newly added students until 4 p.m. on April 30. Include summer distribution in your planning if some cards will be sent to the school close to the end or after the school year ends using the School Distribution of P-EBT Cards document for guidance.
Please remind families that they will need to use the school's ZIP code to activate their card if the card was mailed to the school. Any unclaimed cards left at the end of the school year should be sent back to DHS following the guidance listed in the document above.
Foster students
For new foster student records added to the P-EBT portal, consider entering school as the distribution preference for foster students when known. The DHS call center receives a fair number of calls regarding foster students relocating to a new address prior to receiving the card. DHS has a plan for contacting households regarding undeliverable cards, but proactively selecting the distribution method as school for foster students may help expedite the process.
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