Information for parents regarding the PEBT Funds

The Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides families of eligible children additional funds to purchase food during this school year for the months of August 2020-May 2021. P-EBT is administered by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE). P-EBT is intended for children who did not have access to receive meals at school due to school closures or remote learning this school year. It is important to note that P-EBT is a complement to meals and snacks provided to children through school meal programs during full or part time distance learning. Meals and snacks provided by schools during full or part time distance learning do not prevent a child from receiving P-EBT.

The Roosevelt School District is aware that some of our students have not received funds and we recognize of the hardship this has caused some of our Roosevelt families. We are working closely with ADE and their team of professionalsto expedite the release of these funds to our families; however, because there are over 100,000 students in Arizona that have not yet received their P-EBT payments, distribution has been slowed. We encourage families to take advantage of our summer meal program, beginning June 1, as they wait for funds to be distributed.

How do I know if my child is eligible to receive P-EBT for this school year?

This school participates in a Special Provision Option (SPO): Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), Special Assistance Provision 2 or Special Assistance Provision 3; meaning breakfast and/or lunch are served to all students at no charge. Because this school participates in a SPO, the criteria of your child being eligible for free or reduced-price school meals has been met. Additionally, your child is eligible for P-EBT funds if your child’s school was either closed, offered full time distance learning, or offered part time distance learning (days in and days off campus).

Once both criteria are met, your child is eligible to receive P-EBT for the correlating eligible months during August 2020-May 2021. DES will receive school data from ADE for schools participating in SPOs and school learning models (closed, full/part time distance learning), which will be used to qualify all children monthly for each month of the school year (August 2020-May 2021). All eligible children in the school will either receive a full or partial payment depending on the closure or amount of distance learning the school required or offered that calendar month. Students must be enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program to be eligible for P-EBT.

• Full P-EBT payment: All children in the school receive a full P-EBT benefit when the school reports that it was closed or only had a full-time distance learning model (no in-school attendance) for all or most operating days in the reported month.
• Partial P-EBT payment: All children in the school receive a partial P-EBT benefit when the school reports learning model(s) that offer distance learning in addition to offering on-campus learning in the reported month. 
• No P-EBT payment: No children will receive P-EBT when the school reports only an in-person learning models for all operating days in the reported month.

To ensure the information being provided to DES is current, please make sure that you update your student information (such as current address, parent/guardian, phone number, etc.) at your child’s school. More information is available from DES.