State Agencies

Amendment to Approved State Plan for Pandemic EBT
Children in School and/or Child Care, Summer 2021
Issuing
Agency/Office:
Title of Document:
Document ID:
Z-RIN:
Date of Issuance:
Replaces:

Summary:

Disclaimer:

FNS / Child Nutrition Programs, Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program
Amendment to Approved State Plan for Pandemic EBT: Children
in School and Child Care, Summer 2021
April 26, 2021
N/A
(1) This document is a template to assist States in the development
of an amendment to extend their approved State plan to operate
Pandemic EBT for school children and for children in child care
during summer 2021. (2) This document relates to Section 1106 of
the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127) as
amended by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other
Extensions Act (P.L. 116-159), the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), and the American Rescue Plan Act,
2021 (P.L. 117-2)
The contents of this guidance document do not have the force and
effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This
document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding
existing requirements under the law or agency policies.

Additional context and background for this document can be found at:
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-guidance-coronavirus-pandemic-ebt-pebt

The submission of a P-EBT state plan, associated template and related reporting obligations are
addressed in OMB# 0584-0660.This emergency information collection (IC) will be replaced by a
full IC package to be submitted to OMB for approval prior to its expiration date of 8/31/21. All
components of this summer 2021 P-EBT package will be addressed in the full IC package.

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Amendment to Approved State Plan for Pandemic EBT
Children in School and/or Child Care, Summer 2021
1. State:
2. Primary Citation: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) as amended by
the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
3. Here’s what FNS needs from you:
a. If a State chooses to elect the U.S. standard benefit 1, simply check the box below. Next,
go to letter ‘c’ (Estimated total amount of P-EBT benefits) of the template.
☐

By checking this box, we are indicating that our State will use the U.S.
standard benefit for the covered summer period.

b. If a State chooses not to elect the U.S. standard benefit, FNS needs the following
information:
•

The number of days for which benefits will be issued as part of the State’s covered
summer period; and

•

An explanation for how the State arrived at the number of days in the State’s covered
summer period. USDA will not approve a plan that does not tie the length of its
covered summer period to the actual summer 2021 calendars of an enrollmentweighted average, or the median, of a representative sample of its school districts.

Response: [please use as much space as needed]

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The U.S. standard benefit – as defined in Question #5 of FNS’ Q&A document titled, “Summer P-EBT Q&A” – is
equal to the median number of weekdays in the sampled school districts multiplied by the daily P-EBT rate. For
States in the continental U.S., that works out to a fixed summer benefit of $375 per eligible child (55 days at $6.82
per day). The U.S. standard benefit is higher for Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories; see Q/A #14 for a complete set
of standard benefit amounts.

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c. Estimated total amount of P-EBT benefits the State will issue within this amendment’s
date range. (Consult the appropriate table in Section 4, “Benefit Levels.”)
•
•

Estimated amount issued to school children
Estimated amount issued to non-school children in child care

d. Estimated total number of children to which the State will issue P-EBT benefits.
•
•

Estimated number of school children
Estimated number of non-school children in child care

e. Tentative P-EBT issuance schedule (the dates on which Summer P-EBT benefits will be
issued). Note that USDA encourages States to distribute summer benefits in two or even
three issuances across the summer, to the extent practical.
•
•

School children
Children in child care

f. Describe how the State will identify eligible school children and children in child care for
summer P-EBT. You must address each of the following bulleted items, below, when
responding.
For school-aged children:
•

Describe how the State will identify school children who received P-EBT benefits
during the last month of SY 20-21.

•

Describe how the State will identify school children who were eligible for free or
reduced price school meals under the NSLP and SBP in SY 20-21 but did not
receive P-EBT benefits in the last month of the school year because they attended
school in-person and benefitted from a free or reduced price meal service at
school. This includes children who were eligible for F/RP meals during the school
year and did not receive P-EBT benefits because the children attended school inperson during the school year.

•

Describe how the State will identify children who are determined newly eligible
for free or reduced price school meals during the covered summer period. States
must provide an opportunity for families to apply for free or reduced price meals
using the normal application process. States and SFAs should consider
maintaining a minimum presence to process Free and Reduced Price Meal
applications, perhaps on a part-time or weekly basis. Another alternative is for
SFAs to accept new Free and Reduced Price Meal applications during the summer
but only process them after the start of the new school year. Children determined
eligible on applications submitted prior to the end of the summer could then be
issued P-EBT benefits retroactively after the start of the new school year. (Note
that it is preferable to process applications and issue benefits during the summer
period that the benefits are intended to cover).
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For children in child care:
•

Describe how the State will identify SNAP-enrolled children who received P-EBT
child care benefits in the last month of the school year.

•

Describe how the State will identify SNAP-enrolled children who would have
received P-EBT child care benefits in the last month of the school year, but did
not receive benefits because their child care facility was not closed or operating at
reduced attendance or hours in that month, and neither their child care facility nor
the child’s residence was in the area of a school that was closed or operating at
reduced attendance or hours in that month.

•

Describe how the State will identify children who are part of a SNAP household
who are newly eligible for P-EBT child care benefits during the covered summer
period

Response: [please use as much space as needed]

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4.

Benefit Levels
A. U.S. standard Benefit

U.S. Standard P-EBT Benefit
Median Length of
2021 Covered Summer Period
Covered Summer Period Daily P-EBT
(weekdays)
Rate
Contiguous U.S.
55
$6.82
Alaska
55
10.99
Hawaii, Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico
55
7.97

Standard
Benefit
$375
604
438

B. State-Determined Benefit, Based on Daily Rate
Note: The daily benefit amount – $6.82 – is only needed if a State elects to set its own
covered summer period length; that is to say, if a State declines to use the U.S. standard
benefit.
2021 Covered Summer Period
Contiguous U.S.
Alaska
Hawaii, Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico

Free Reimbursements
Lunch
$3.60
5.79
4.20

Breakfast
$2.26
3.64
2.64

Snack
$0.96
1.56
1.13

Daily
Total
$6.82
10.99
7.97

Notes:
1. Lunch rates include the 7 cent performance-based reimbursement and the extra 2 cents per meal received by school food
authorities in which 60 percent or more of the lunches served during the second preceding school year were served free or at
a reduced price.
2. Breakfast rates are those received by "severe need" schools.
3. Snack rates are those for afterschool snacks served in afterschool care programs
Source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-22/pdf/2020-15764.pdf

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Civil Rights Statement
The State will continue to comply with civil rights requirements, to include providing equal
access to individuals with disabilities and individuals who are limited English proficient.
Administration of State P-EBT Plan
The State will administer P-EBT according to the terms of its approved State plan. In general,
conditions related to benefit issuance reporting, administrative funding, and release of
information remain in effect for the covered summer period. If the State wishes to change any of
the terms of its plan, the State shall first notify USDA and will, if requested by USDA, submit a
plan amendment for USDA review and approval.
Reminder
If the State needs to make any significant changes to its Summer 2021 plan after approval, the
State needs to submit an amendment to FNS that describes the change and its impact on
operating summer P-EBT. USDA will review the amendment and approve allowable
amendments.

Signatures and Titles of Requesting SNAP and Child Nutrition State Agency Officials:

Signature
Print Name and Title

Signature
Print Name and Title
Date of Request:

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