Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT)

For P-EBT benefits for the school year 2021-22 and/or Summer 2022 P-EBT, please review the following guidance carefully. Our office is experiencing a high volume of inquiries from families asking about the status of their students' P-EBT benefits, and our team members are working quickly to respond to everyone.

Households who did not apply for free or reduced-price meals in school year 2021-22 are not eligible for this benefit. All schools were able to offer meals at no cost during the 2021-22 year, due to nationwide COVID-19 waivers. However, families were still required to complete a free or reduced-price meal application or be certified under SNAP/Direct Certification in order to be determined eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits.

1. The benefits for summer 2022 are currently being processed. If your child already has an active white P-EBT card, then the summer benefit will be loaded directly to that card. If your child does not have an active card then a new card will be sent with the summer benefit mid-August 2023.

2. If one child in the household received summer P-EBT benefits and the other child has not, please be patient; the benefits are still being issued. If you have not received a benefit by mid-August, please contact the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) again. At that time we may know more on why your child has not received a summer benefit. Remember that summer benefits are issued based on school-submitted data. Students enrolled in a public school during the last month of the regular school year (2021-22) and were determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals are eligible for summer 2022 P-EBT benefits. If you have questions about your child's eligibility, please contact your school district.

3. If you are inquiring about the status of a benefit outside of school year 2021-22 or summer 2022, DESE will not be able to assist you. Previous years’ P-EBT benefits are no longer available.

4. The state of Missouri will not be applying to participate in the U.S. government’s extended response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the SY 2022-2023 or summer 2023 P-EBT programs. The P-EBT benefits were originally administered as part of a temporary relief program, and as many Missouri families can attest, there have been a number of challenges throughout the process due to the federal requirements associated with accessing and administering the benefits, coupled with the limitations of our current state and local data collection systems. Further, the SY 2022-2023 and summer 2023 P-EBT federal program timelines were reduced compared to the SY 2021-2022 and summer 2022 P-EBT programs, which are still being processed at this time. Once these current P-EBT programs are completed, Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Department of Social Services (DSS) will focus on implementing the system changes necessary to facilitate participation in summer EBT programs in future years.

5. If you are inquiring with concerns about your existing P-EBT card, such as the address or how to activate the card, please contact the Department of Social Services (DSS) directly at 855-373-4636.

You can review the Frequently Asked Questions document for more guidance on our website at https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/p-ebt-frequency-asked-questions-answers-sy-2021-22-and-summer-2022-parentguardian.

 

P-EBT Information Materials

Approved State Plan