Ohio ACE Education Savings Account

At Miacademy, we’ve been hard at work partnering with various state funding agencies across the country. Our goal is to make a quality education accessible for every student, and we’re accomplishing our goal one state at a time. 

If you’re homeschooling in Ohio, we have some exciting news to share with you! 

Miacademy is now an approved purchase for the Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Educational Savings Account! The Ohio Education Savings Account (ESA) awards $1,000 to students in need to offset educational challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Important note: The federal funding supporting this project ends later this year. Therefore, all ACE funds need to be spent on approved activities by July 1, 2024. (This means any service or activity must happen before July 1, 2024.)

What is the Ohio ACE program? 

The Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment program is designed to mitigate academic setbacks caused by the pandemic, providing $1,000 per qualifying child to be spent on educational needs. Families must meet all residency, income, and social program requirements to be eligible for funding. The funds are meant for homeschooling or enrollment in additional educational services. 

Under the Ohio ESA program, eligible expenses include…

• Before- or after-school educational programs*
• Day camps that focus on enhancing skills in academics, music, or the arts
• After-school learning extension centers**
• A homeschool curriculum or other materials necessary for homeschooling
• Educational or study-skills programs
• Fees for learning pods
• Entry fees and additional exhibit costs for historical, cultural, or scientific sites
• Language classes
• Music lessons
• Tutoring services for personalized academic support

Expenses that are not covered by the Ohio ESA include…

• Electronic devices
• Musical instruments or music supplies
• School tuition

*An educational program means an activity aligned to state academic standards that develops academic knowledge and is designed to accelerate learning.

**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 a student’s assigned school is closed.

Who Qualifies for the ACE Ohio program?

The ACE ESA program is available to any Ohio student ages 6-18 who has not graduated high school. In addition, the student and their family must meet at least one of the requirements below:

1. Area of residence

Students living in an area recognized for high levels of chronic absenteeism or in districts with one or more schools eligible for EdChoice, are eligible for an ACE Educational Savings Account. The updated list for the 2023-24 academic year now includes recent data on chronic absenteeism across Ohio districts.

2. Adjusted gross income

Students living in a household where the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, according to the most recent federal income tax return of the household, are qualified to receive an ACE Educational Savings Account. You can find the chart for the 2023-2024 school year here.

3. Participation in income-based government assistance programs

Children from families enrolled in programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Ohio Works First (OWF), or other income-based government assistance programs, are eligible for an ACE Educational Savings Account where eligibility is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.

The federal funding supporting this project ends later this year. Therefore, all ACE funds need to be spent on approved activities by July 1, 2024. (This means any service or activity must happen before July 1, 2024.)

All reimbursement or payment requests must be submitted for processing no later than July 15, 2024. Unused funding will be unavailable after July 1, 2024. Any requests made after July 15 will be denied.

How Do I Get Miacademy with Ohio ACE?

To use Ohio ACE funding for Miacademy, there are a few steps parents need to follow: 

• First,  you will need to apply for the education savings account (ESA) through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Applicants must qualify based on their place of residence, income level, or participation in government assistance programs.

• Upon acceptance, applicants will be notified via email by Merit International, Inc. about their grant. The email will include an invitation to claim their digital access pass, or “merit,” which serves as their login credential for the Ohio ACE app.

• After you receive your merit, you have the option to explore the Ohio ACE Education Marketplace online to discover certified service providers by category, grade level, and geographical location. 

• To manage claims and monitor their account balances, parents and guardians can utilize the Merit’s Ohio ACE app. When a claim is processed, whether approved or denied, parents will be informed via email.

• Once a claim is approved, the payment is issued either directly to the parent/guardian or to the Qualified Educational Service Provider, based on the payment recipient selected by the parent/guardian at the time of claim submission. It should be noted that processing payments through the application might take between six to eight weeks.

• The transaction will then be recorded, and the student’s educational savings account will be updated to reflect the reimbursement amount.

Want to know more about the Ohio ACE program? Visit their FAQ page for more information, and check out their scholarship page for more eligibility details.

If you have any questions about how to get Miacademy with your ESA in Ohio, feel free to chat with one of our helpful customer service agents! They’ll be happy to help you find the answers you need.

FAQ 

Is the Ohio ACE program ending? 

Yes. The Ohio ACE program is no longer being funded and is set to end July 15, 2024.

Do Ohio ACE funds expire? 

Yes, Ohio ACE funds will expire when the student turns 19 or graduates high school. This year, the program will be ending on July 15, 2024. Any services occurring after July 1 and services that are unreported before July 15 will not be covered.

Information accurate as of: 04/04/2024. The information provided on this site is intended for research purposes only. Miaplaza is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outdated information, or for the results yielded through use of this information.