Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment Educational Savings Program

Important Updates/Announcements

ACE Application Closing

The ACE application will close beginning September 5, 2023 at 4:59 p.m. to process applications as the program is nearly full. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Families whose applications are in Corrections Needed status are encouraged to make corrections to their existing applications as soon as possible to determine eligibility before all ACE awards have been exhausted. Should additional slots become available, the ACE application will re-open to receive more applications. Please continue to check this webpage for updates. 

Renewal Information

Awards for the ACE program do not automatically renew. If your family applied for the ACE program in the 2022-2023 school year (or before), you will need to apply again to see if you qualify for the 2023-2024 school year.

If you have questions or need help submitting a claim for reimbursement, please use the Help Center. 

NOTE: If you are experiencing issues accessing the ACE application in OH|ID, you may use this link to access the ACE application. You will need to have an existing OH|ID account for the link to work. 

 
How to Apply Ohio ACE Resources

General Overview

The Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Educational Savings Account program provides qualifying families with a $1,000 credit per child. These funds can be used to pay for a variety of educational activities designed to help accelerate learning for children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Allowable Activities

  • Before- or after-school educational programs 
    • An educational program means an activity aligned to state academic standards that develops academic knowledge and is designed to accelerate learning.  
  • Day camps, including camps for academics, music, and arts; 
  • Tuition for learning extension centers; 
    • A learning extension center is a supervised physical location operated by a faith-based, community or nonprofit organization that provides workspace or workstations during school hours when students’ assigned schools are closed.  
  • Curriculum and materials for homeschool families; 
    • Families engaged in home education whose children have been excused from compulsory education may use ACE funds to obtain curriculum materials. ACE funds cannot be used to pay tuition, including tuition for site-based or online schools.
  • Educational, learning or study skills services; 
  • Tuition for learning pods; 
  • Field trips to historical landmarks, museums, science centers and theaters, including admission, exhibit and program fees; 
  • Language classes; 
  • Music lessons; 
    • Lessons are an allowable service; however, purchase of musical instruments and other hardware are not allowable through the ACE Educational Savings account.
  • ​Tutoring. 

Please note that ACE account funds cannot be used for the purchase of electronic devices. 

Eligible Students

The ACE Educational Savings Account program is available to any Ohio child ages 6 to 18 years old (who hasn’t graduated from high school) who meets at least one of the conditions below. 

Residency

Children residing in districts identified as having a high rate of chronic absenteeism or have one or more schools identified as EdChoice eligible qualify for an ACE Educational Savings Account. The list for the 2023-24 school year has changed from the 2022-23 school year. 

INCOME

Children who reside in a household with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) at or below 400% of the federal poverty level based on the household’s most recent federal income tax return qualify for an ACE Educational Savings Account. Find charts for each school year below. 

income-based GOVERNMENT assistance PROGRAMs

Children who are part of a family that participates in programs such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Ohio Works First (OWF) or other income-based government assistance programs with eligibility at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, qualify for an ACE Educational Savings Account.

Qualified Education Service Providers

If an organization offers a qualifying program or service under the Ohio Revised Code, they may apply below to be listed as a Qualified Education Service Provider (QESP). An organization will be listed in the online Marketplace, where parents can search for organizations and the services provided. Click the button below for more information.
Service Providers

Last Modified: 8/29/2023 10:49:12 AM