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The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) program that provides food assistance benefits to children in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade who have temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to changes in instruction schedules and school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, as amended by the Continuing Appropriation Act of 2021 and Other Extensions Act, extended and expanded the P-EBT program through the 2020-2021 school year. The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Iowa Department of Education (Department) are collaboratively administering this program in Iowa.

Riverside has recently submitted the required information to the state to determine eligibility for our students.

To be an eligible student a student must 

  • attend an eligible school which means the school is apart of the National School Lunch Program, 

  • be approved to receive free or reduced meals by having an approved FRL application on file, being directly certified, or being enrolled in a Community Eligibility Provision(CEP) school; and 

  • participate in a reduced learning schedule due to COVID 19.  

 A reduced learning schedule could be

  • School went to remote learning due to COVID 

  • School did a hybrid learning model due to COVID

If your school was in person 100% of the time a student could still qualify if

  • Student opted to do remote learning 

  • Student was quarantined due to an exposure or testing positive to COVID for any number of days (ex. 2, 5, 10)

Information For Parents

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program for School Year 2020-2021 for Parents and Guardians FAQ

For more information on P-EBT, please visit the DE website