ACE Education Savings Account Portal to Open April 11

According to the Ohio Department of Education:

The Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Educational Savings Account program provides funds to a student’s parent or guardian to use on various enrichment and educational activities. The program is being offered through a partnership between Merit International, Inc. and the Ohio Department of Education.

Program Overview

The ACE Educational Savings Account program provides qualifying families with a $500 credit that can be used to pay for a variety of enrichment activities that will accelerate learning for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds can be used for:

• Before- or after-school educational programs;
• Day camps, including camps for academics, music and arts;
• Tuition for learning extension centers;
• Tuition for learning pods;
• The purchase of curriculum and material for home-school families;
• Educational, learning or study skills services;
• Field trips to historical landmarks, museums, science centers and theaters – including admission, exhibit and program fees;
• Language classes;
• Musical instrument lessons;
• Tutoring.

Beginning April 11, 2022, the Ohio Department of Education will accept requests from families and determine program eligibility. Merit International, Inc. will provide eligible families with their savings accounts and a marketplace to purchase allowable services and materials.

Which Students Qualify?

The ACE Educational Savings Account program is available to any student between the ages of 6 and 18 years old whose family income is at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Qualifying children include those who attend any Ohio public or nonpublic school or are home educated by their parents and have been excused from the compulsory attendance law for the purpose of home instruction. An eligible student can be enrolled in a public or nonpublic school or has been excused from compulsory attendance law for the purpose of home instruction.

The income eligibility chart is available here: https://scohio.org/your-child-may-be-eligible-for-the-ace-education-savings-account.

Ongoing Support Levels

For more information about the Ohio ACE Educational Savings Account program, please visit the Ohio ACE website (http://aceohio.org/) or email questions to ace_savingsaccount@education.ohio.gov.

Rules for this program require participants to have and use an OH ID account. Information regarding setting up an OH ID account is available here: https://education.ohio.gov/…/OHID-Job-Aid_Account…

The ACE accounts are on a first-come, first-serve basis.