Bold crimson font beckoned me while I scrolled through my Facebook feed one gloomy February afternoon. A sponsored ad declared: “Qualifying Families Receive $500 per Child.” Though skeptical, I clicked on the paid post bearing the State of Ohio seal, and it was legit. In fact, I’m pleased to report I’ve successfully been repaid for extracurricular investments in Playhouse Square tickets, an Ideastream workshop, and summer camp enrollment at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes thus far.
It’s all part of the Ohio Department of Education’s Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) educational savings account for public and private school students, ages 6 to 18. The $250-million grant-funded program was created to help reengage and accelerate children’s learning post-COVID and rolled out last April to eligible families at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. On April 7, the Ohio Department of Education will launch a new mobile-friendly app for ACE.
Through the program, income qualified families can receive direct payment or reimbursement for expenditures on educational and enrichment activities like before- and after-school programs, day camps, field trips, language classes, music lessons and tutoring. Homeschool families may also request reimbursement for the purchase of curriculum and study materials.
“COVID affected students very broadly, and we hope the ACE program will provide opportunities that children may not already have,” said Colleen Grady, senior program officer. She says the grant funding will continue for a second year and the new round of applications will be open on a first-come, first-served basis between April 7 and June 30. Besides a more streamlined application process, the earnings threshold has been expanded to include households at up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. The value of the spending account will increase from $500 to $1,000. Funds will be available in July.
Existing participants will see an additional $500 deposit for the current school year applied automatically when the new application launches, and are cautioned that any unused funds can expire as soon as September 2023. Summer day camp registration, averaging around $250 per week, is one efficient way to utilize those dollars.
Applicants to the ACE program should have the following information available: First/last name(s) of parent(s) and child(ren) as well as their dates of birth and last four digits of social security numbers. Parent(s) will also be required to provide their drivers license number, address, phone number, and proof of income (paystubs, W-2s, SNAP letter, child support order, or social security statement).
The Department of Education has partnered with Merit International, Inc. to administer the program. During enrollment, parents will create an account with Merit to monitor their expenditures and enable them to securely enter banking data to receive reimbursement by direct deposit.
In my personal experience, the reimbursement process has not been without its share of snags. Several of my initial submissions were declined. I asked Grady about best practices, and she said receiving an approval on your first try is more likely if your supporting documents are printed with an easily-identifiable date of service, name of the child receiving the service, and any descriptors that clarify the category of the service.
A family’s lack of access to expendable income needn’t pose a barrier for participation, either. Because Qualified Education Service Providers (QESP) in the program can elect to provide an invoice for direct deposit from the State of Ohio, many options exist where parents can sign up without providing payment in advance. One such provider is Barbara Bradford-Williams (216-355-7140), who operates programs in three Cleveland locations: East – 6624 Harvard Ave. and 9250 Miles Park Ave.; West – 4215 Robert Ave. According to Bradford-Williams, “We offer STEM programming for kids ages 6 to 17 that includes classes in art, computers, cooking and music which can be funded through the ACE program and require no prepayment from participating families.”
While the ACE program won’t reimburse for associated costs like parking or parent participation, even when it’s necessary for a child’s attendance, it is permissible to purchase family passes. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Great Lakes Science Center are just a few venues that fit into the “field trip” category, and acquiring an annual pass can be a cost-effective way to extend those funds for maximum impact. If you are receiving SNAP assistance, allocating $25 of your ACE allotment for an Access Membership will get your whole household admission to both the Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Arboretum throughout the entire calendar year.
Do you have a teachable skill? Becoming an education service provider is a seamless process, and a way to benefit local kids as you increase revenue. The QESP application requires a tax ID number, however, Grady says no teaching license is required to become a provider through the ACE program nor is registration with the Secretary of State so long as the individual or business provides a qualifying service under the Ohio Revised Code.
Check out the ACE FAQs page for additional details on how to get the most benefit from the program as a student participant or a service provider.
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