State approves USDA‑funded IT upgrades to Summer EBT to reduce delays and improve customer experience

The State Controlling Board approved amendments to bolster the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) IT system after the state received a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for infrastructure improvements.

Aaron Rausch, deputy chief of staff at the Department of Education and Workforce, said the amendment will fund three key enhancements: embedded document‑scanning on the Summer EBT website to replace camera uploads, AI‑assisted phone and chat tools for the contact center to speed routine responses, and data standardization across departments to reduce errors in eligibility matching. “The amendment that is in front of the board today will enhance and provide a better customer experience for families,” Rausch said.

Rausch noted the program served more than 1,000,000 children last year with nearly $125,000,000 distributed and said DEW is confident the improvements will avoid the delays seen during the program’s initial rollout. Representative Sweeney and other members sought assurance the enhancements would cover students served through schools, libraries and other community providers; Rausch said the upgrade supports all students and that the department has an MOU with Jobs and Family Services for administration.

The board approved the amendment with no objections.

The amendment is intended to speed enrollment and benefit delivery and does not create additional ongoing state appropriations beyond the grant-funded work.