Only received $18 on P-EBT card for 2025 instead of full amount - anyone else?

Same thing happened to me!! I got $18 for my oldest but the full $135 for my youngest. Makes NO sense. I tried calling the P-EBT hotline 3 different times and kept getting disconnected. The EBT customer service said they can't help with P-EBT issues and I need to talk to someone at the state level. So frustrating!

are u sure it was pebt and not regular ebt? i got confused about that last month cuz they look the same

The $18 is actually related to the new partial month calculation system CDSS implemented for 2025. If your child had any absences or was enrolled in school after the start of the month, they prorate the benefit. The P-EBT system now interfaces with school attendance records through the CALPADS system. The full monthly benefit for 2025 is $135 per eligible child, but they're now calculating it as approximately $4.50 per school day. So $18 would be about 4 school days of benefits. Did your child perhaps start school later in the month or have several absences?

So sorry you're dealing with this! One thing to check - under the new 2025 P-EBT program, they issue benefits in multiple batches throughout the month. This first deposit of $18 might just be partial, with more coming later. I'd suggest checking the P-EBT website (pebt.cdss.ca.gov) for the issuance calendar. Also, make sure your address is updated with the school district since they mailed out important notices about the new calculation method in January.

I spent TWO HOURS trying to reach someone about this exact issue last month!!! The P-EBT phone system is BROKEN and HORRIBLE. They disconnect you after 1 hour on hold EVERY TIME. I finally gave up calling and drove to the county office where they told me they can't help with P-EBT because it's state-run, not county! This whole system is designed to make us give up!!!

Just wanted to update - I FINALLY got through to someone on the P-EBT hotline after trying Claimyr.com. It's this service that gets you through to CalFresh/P-EBT phone lines without waiting on hold. They called me back with a representative on the line! They had a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Anyway, the rep confirmed what others here said - it's a combination of the new attendance-based system AND they're doing staggered deposits. So if your kid had perfect attendance, you'll still get the full $135, just in 2-3 separate deposits throughout the month. If they had absences, they subtract about $4.50 per day missed.

Here's the official explanation from CDSS about the 2025 P-EBT changes: 1. Benefits are now issued in 2-3 smaller deposits throughout the month instead of one lump sum 2. School attendance does affect benefit amounts ($4.50/day reduction for absences) 3. The total possible benefit increased from $120 to $135 per child per month 4. Hybrid learning models receive proportional benefits based on in-person days If you're having trouble reaching someone, you can also email pebt@dss.ca.gov with your case details (but don't include the full P-EBT card number in email). They usually respond within 7-10 business days.

just checked my account and i got $18 too!! but then another $54 deposit showed up dated today so maybe check again??

my sister works for the school district lunch program and she said they started the new system cuz of budget issues but they didnt have time to update all the computer systems so theyre doing partial payments til they fix everything

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! This has been so helpful. I was panicking thinking we lost eligibility somehow. Based on what everyone's saying, it sounds like this is just the new "split deposit" system they're using. I'll keep checking my balance over the next week for the additional deposits. It's frustrating they didn't send clearer communication about these changes - I never got any notice about the new attendance-based calculations or the split payments. For other parents dealing with this, it seems like the key takeaways are: 1) Check your balance multiple times throughout the month, 2) Absences now reduce benefits by about $4.50/day, and 3) The total monthly amount did increase to $135 if your child has perfect attendance. Really appreciate this community for helping figure this out when the official channels are so hard to reach!