Schools that operate the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program under the Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2 in a non-base year are required by California Education Code Section 49506.5 to collect Universal Benefits Applications (UBA) for the purpose of making SUN Bucks eligibility determinations, and federal regulations requires verification of these applications.
In 2026, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) are required to follow standard SUN Bucks verification procedures, which require three (3) percent of approved UBAs received between September 3, 2025 and April 1, 2026 be randomly selected for verification on April 1, 2026. Please note, this process is different from the rolling verification LEAs conducted in 2025.
Detailed 2026 SUN Bucks verification guidance can be found here:
- 2026 SUN Bucks Verification Fact Sheet(DOCX)
- Guide to Conducting Verification for SUN Bucks 2026(PPTX)
Information and resources on the 2026 verification requirements can be found on the California Department of Education SUN Bucks under the Verification, Resources, and Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have questions, please contact SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov.