Information about potential P-EBT payments for Oklahoma students has been released by the State Department of Education which has hit the news. It's important for parents to know the details about this program, but also understand there is also room for misinterpretation in the news reports. In order to qualify for the payments, students must qualify for free & reduced lunches & students will only be reimbursed for days that students attended virtually.
Reimbursements will be made for the 2020-2021 school year for students that met all requirements. Since Cherokee has been providing free meals for all students, we have seen a decrease in the number of free & reduced applications being submitted. These applications can not be done retroactively so if the student did not have a free & reduced application filled out for the 2020-2021 school year, they are ineligible for these payments for last year. In order to qualify for this year, it's important for any families that have not filled out an application to do so as soon as possible.
The Free & Reduced Applications can be found on the school website under Cafeteria Tab or picked up at either site office. Please keep in mind that these applications help the school financially as well, even if students are already receiving free meals. For those that qualify for these payments, it will come in the form of a debit card in the mail with no explanation of why you are receiving it. It is not a scam so please don't discard the card. The link below gives much more valuable information on the program.