Utah rebrands summer EBT program as Utah Sunbucks for 2025 school year

The March 2025 LEA Data Meeting, held on April 3, 2025, focused primarily on the newly rebranded Utah Sunbucks program, previously known as summer EBT. The meeting outlined the eligibility criteria, data submission processes, and key deadlines for local education agencies (LEAs) and food service directors.

The first agenda item addressed the eligibility requirements for students to qualify for Utah Sunbucks. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a school participating in either the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program during the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, students must be approved for free or reduced-price meal benefits at any point during the eligibility period, which extends from July 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025. It was emphasized that students who had a carryover of eligibility from the previous school year but were later dropped to paid status would not qualify unless they received a new determination after July 1, 2024.

The meeting then shifted to the data submission process. The preferred method for LEAs to submit data is through the Utrecht data collector, which has new fields for the required S5 records. However, it was noted that not all Student Information System (SIS) vendors were ready for this submission by the April 1 deadline. In cases where Utrecht is unavailable, data must be submitted via a Qualtrics survey, with templates and instructions provided to food service directors.

The first round of data collection is due on April 1, 2025, with subsequent rounds scheduled for May 16 and September 5. The second round will focus on newly eligible students not included in the first round, while the third round will only include students who become newly eligible after the first two rounds.

A significant point of discussion was the process for students attending provision schools, such as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools, which do not process free and reduced-price meal applications. Parents of these students must apply for Sunbucks benefits directly through the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) website, marking a departure from the automatic benefits provided during the pandemic EBT program.

The meeting concluded with a reminder that households opting out of data sharing must also apply directly through the DWS for Sunbucks benefits. The CNP will provide a list of schools participating in CEP and provision 2 programs to assist in this process.

Overall, the meeting provided essential information for LEAs and food service directors regarding the implementation of the Utah Sunbucks program, ensuring that eligible students receive the necessary benefits during the upcoming summer months.