Anyone know if P-EBT benefits for school children are getting reloaded soon?

i think theyre doing it but its delayed. my neighbor's kids got something on their cards last week but mine still hasnt. its super random how they do it

The P-EBT program for the 2024-2025 school year is still active but with some changes. It's a common misunderstanding, but P-EBT is separate from CalFresh (though they both use EBT cards). For this school year, they're issuing benefits in quarterly batches rather than monthly. If your children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program, they should automatically receive P-EBT benefits. The first batch for this school year was supposed to be loaded in October 2025, with the next batch coming in January 2026. Some counties are experiencing delays though. You don't need to submit a new application if your children already qualify for free/reduced school meals.

Make sure your address is up to date with the school! I learned the hard way that P-EBT cards for new school years sometimes get mailed to old addresses if you've moved. If your kids are using the same P-EBT cards from previous years, then what the previous person said about quarterly loading is correct. But if they issue new cards each year in your county, you might want to check with the school secretary (not just the front desk person) to make sure they have your current mailing address on file. The school lunch program coordinator might have more information than the general office staff.

My kid's P-EBT just got reloaded yesterday actually! $510 for the quarter. We're in Los Angeles County. I was surprised because I hadn't heard anything about it coming. Maybe check your balance again?

I called the P-EBT hotline last week after waiting for 2 hours (!!) and they told me the new benefits are starting to roll out but it's being done alphabetically by last name in some counties. If your last name starts with A-M, you should see it this month, and N-Z will be next month. But honestly, I've learned not to trust anything until I actually see the money on the card. The system is so frustrating - my kids qualify for free meals but I always have to chase down these benefits.

Does anyone know if we qualify for PEBT if we get CALFRESH already???????? My kids school says they get free lunch becuz of some comunity thing not becuz of our income so im confused if they get the PEBT too??

Something to keep in mind is that the P-EBT program's existence depends on federal funding and approvals. The current program was authorized through the end of the 2025-26 school year, but there's always the possibility of changes. What I've found helpful is signing up for email/text alerts from the California Department of Social Services website so you get notified about these benefits directly rather than relying on schools (which often have outdated or incomplete information).