NYS P-EBT benefit explained

Oct 5, 2021 | District

May 2023 Update:

New York State continues to distribute Pandemic EBT food benefits to all households with eligible children who receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act. Here are important updates to the distribution as of Wednesday, May 17, 2023:

  • OTDA has begun to issue P-EBT food benefits for the 2021-22 school year and Summer 2022. Many eligible children will receive benefits automatically over the next 3-4 weeks.
  • For families who need to apply for P-EBT food benefits, an online application will be available on May 15, 2023.
  • Benefits will continue to be issued until September 30, 2023.
  • You can check your family’s P-EBT food benefit transaction history by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.
  • All 2020-21 P-EBT food benefits have been issued to all eligible children.

More information is available from NYS here.

September 2022 Update:

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has completed the issuance of P-EBT for school year 2020-21 and Summer 2021.  If you have any questions,  please contact the P-EBT Food Benefits Helpline: 1-833-452-0096 or visit the P-EBT Information Form to submit a question in writing.  Your child’s school is only able to assist you with the application for free and reduced-price school meals, please direct all other questions to the Helpline.
USDA has yet to approve New York State’s plan for distribution of P-EBT benefits for the 2021-22 school year. Once the plan is approved and information is available about 2021-22 school year P-EBT benefits, it will be posted at otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/.

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The District has been receiving questions regarding the amount of money parents should receive through the NYS P-EBT benefit. These funds were automatically loaded by NYS onto the previous P-EBT issued card.

 

To clarify, this benefit is for children who attended schools that operated with reduced in-person attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 school year. The amount is calculated by month based on the in-person school attendance reported by the school and then paid out in one lump sum. “In-person school attendance” refers to what the District offers for instruction, not the individual student’s personal attendance record.

 

Elementary

Troy City School District elementary schools offered full-day in-person instruction throughout the year and, therefore, your elementary student may not be eligible for the benefit for the majority of the months during the 2020-2021 school year. The only exception is the month of September where the District reported a reduction of two days as we had moved the Professional Development Days scheduled for November and March to the very beginning of the year. Based on our reported attendance for each month, most Troy CSD elementary students will receive a total of $82.

 

Secondary

Because Troy CSD secondary students were enrolled in a hybrid model where they were not in school every day, they may be eligible for the benefit. Based on our reported attendance for each month, most secondary students will receive a total between $822 and $1,322.

 

Please see New York State’s FAQ page for additional information: https://otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/Frequently-Asked-Questions-Pandemic-EBT.asp?