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2026 SUN Bucks Eligibility Records Upload Reminder

The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division is reminding Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to submit all 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility records to the Education Data Collection System (EDCS) by 5:00 p.m. on September 30, 2026.

LEAs should review their 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility records and ensure that all records requiring submission to EDCS have been submitted before the deadline.

These include eligibility records with start dates between July 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026, derived from:

  • Approved Universal Benefits Applications (UBAs),

  • Approved National School Lunch Program (NSLP) applications,

  • Local Direct Certification and

  • Extended benefits.

All 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility records must be submitted to EDCS no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 30, 2026. Failure to upload eligibility records to EDCS by this deadline will result in students not receiving 2026 SUN Bucks cards.

LEAs are encouraged to complete their submissions as soon as possible and not wait until the final day of the submission window in case of upload errors requiring technical assistance.

For additional information and instructions regarding the submission of 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility records, please refer to the CDE CALPADS Update Flash #321 web page.

For questions related to EDCS, contact EducationDataCollection@cde.ca.gov.

For programmatic questions, contact SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Related Content
  • CALPADS Update Flash #321
    Topics Include: The 2026 SUN Bucks Eligibility Period: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026.
  • SSBC Data Collection Instructions
    Importing Supplemental SUN Bucks Collection (SSBC) Data to the Education Data Collection System (EDCS).
  • SUN Bucks (Summer EBT)
    Includes background, eligibility criteria, best practices, frequently asked questions (FAQ), resources, and contact information regarding SUN Bucks (Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer [EBT]).
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