cps

P-EBT Cards FAQ for Chicago Public School Student

All CPS students are eligible regardless of income

 How do I activate my card?

  • English instructions

  • Activate your card by calling 1-800-678-5465

    • Enter the number on the front of your card

    • Select option 1

    • Enter the “999-99-9999” (in place of a social security number). Press 1 to confirm.

    • Enter the date of birth of your child (ex: “01 01 2013” for January 1, 2013). Press 1 to confirm.

    • Enter a new 4 digit PIN

 What stores take these benefits?

All major grocery stores take these benefits in-store. Both Amazon (Fresh service delivery) and Walmart take these for online payment but you must register your card on their websites.

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If your address is not correct in Aspen, please contact your child’s school with your correct address. A P-EBT change of address should be made using the Illinois Department of Human Services P-EBT Change of Address Form. Should families have questions regarding the P-EBT benefits and issuances, review the P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). They can also contact our Healthy CPS Hotline at 773-553-KIDS (5437) or complete a Healthy CPS Assistance Request Form.

Consulte la información adjunta del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois sobre los beneficios de P-EBT. Todos los estudiantes de CPS son elegibles.

Se debe realizar un cambio de dirección P-EBT utilizando el formulario de cambio de dirección P-EBT del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois. Si las familias tienen preguntas sobre los beneficios y las emisiones de P-EBT, revisen las Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ) de P-EBT. También pueden comunicarse con nuestra línea directa de Healthy CPS al 773-553-KIDS (5437) o completar un formulario de solicitud de asistencia de Healthy CPS.

It will come in a relatively unmarked envelope with your child’s name on it.

Frequently Asked Questions - P-EBT (Preguntas Frecuentes de P-EBT)

  • What should a family do if they haven't received their P-EBT card in the mail?

    • There is a known delivery lag due to a delay with the P-EBT card manufacturer. 

    • The last batch of P-EBT cards were scheduled to be printed and mailed on March 14th. Due to the manufacturing delay, there is an estimated two week delay. 

    • Neither the DHS P-EBT Hotline nor the Healthy CPS Hotline have or can provide estimates on delivery timelines. 

  • Where would my card have been mailed?

    • The card will be mailed to the student’s primary address in ASPEN. 

    • If the family would prefer to have the P-EBT card sent to the school, the clerk should update the student’s mailing address to the school’s address.

    • A change of address should be made using the Illinois Department of Human Services P-EBT Change of Address Form

  • When to call your school:

    • If a change of address needs to be made in ASPEN. 

    • If the P-EBT card has been sent to the school, due to the mailing address being listed as the school, and the family needs to coordinate a pick-up time. The family must sign for the PEBT card.

    • Here is the contact information for Hermosa area schools

  • By what date should I have received my card? Will this be the only card I receive?

    • There is a known delay in P-EBT card delivery. 

    • Families will receive one card per qualifying student.

    • Once a family receives their P-EBT card, this will be the only card they will need to receive their P-EBT benefits. All future deposits for the P-EBT benefit will be made to the same card.

  • By what date will my card be loaded with funds? How frequently should funds be loaded on to my card?

    • Benefits will load on to the card monthly. 

    • By April, the card will be loaded with a distribution from September 2020 to December 2020. 

    • In April, the card will be loaded with a distribution for January 2021 through March 2021.

    • Beginning in May, the card will be loaded monthly with the benefit for the remainder of the school year.

Education Workshop | April 29, 2017

Understanding Chicago Public Schools and its sheer size and numerous requirements can be a difficult task for any parent.  In recent years, CPS has closed schools, added testing requirements, created a common application for selective enrollment schools, and even implemented new graduation requirements for 8th and 12th graders.  Often, our neighborhood schools are underfunded and understaffed which means students don't have access to rigorous classes, extracurricular activities, or individualized attention or support inside the classroom.  All of this, taken together, can be daunting to understand especially if you have students in elementary classrooms.  The weight of standardized tests, grades, attendance, and school performance can seem unimportant to a parent of a first or second grader, but is much more relevant to parents of middle schoolers.   The goals of this workshop are to: help parents understand how CPS is structured; how schools in our neighborhood are rated and what those ratings mean; how standardized tests impact students at all grade levels; and how the high school application process works.

This Saturday, April 29, 2017, HNA is hosting an Education Workshop for parents of elementary-age children throughout Chicago.  Our hosts - board members Jenna Sigman and Alejandra Fleck - want to support parents of elementary-age students as they go through the CPS system from kindergarten to 12th grade and beyond.  We will introduce parents to the Illinois School Report Card and how to understand the information contained in their child's school report card.  Many of the statistics can seem abstract or confusing so we will shed light on their importance and relevance and how to read the reports to best serve your child's needs.  We will also discuss the CPS standardized tests and how they impact a student throughout their elementary and secondary education process.  These test scores are especially important for any student applying to selective enrollment, charter, magnet, or other application-based schools in the city of Chicago.  These test scores may become even more important as CPS seeks to require all 8th grade students to fill out the CPS common application before they receive their diploma.

This workshop is free and will be in English and Spanish and will offer participants an opportunity to interact with others and discuss topics together.  We want to arm you with the tools necessary to take charge of your child's education to ensure he/she is getting the most out of his/her CPS experience.  No RSVP is necessary so we hope to see you this Saturday!