COLUMBUS, Ohio — Legislation is doubling the amount of money families will get to be able to fill in gaps created as a result of the pandemic.
What You Need To Know
- Legislation will give qualifying families $1,000, instead of $500 on educational services
- Income limits are going up to help more people qualify
- So far, more than 20,000 students have signed up for After School Child Enrichment (ACE)
The funding is helping families who take part in the Ohio Department of Education’s After School Child Enrichment (ACE) program.
Taimarie Adams, executive director of education grants and scholarships at Merit International said the legislation will give qualifying families $1,000, instead of $500 to “spend on educational services like tutoring, field trips, before and after-school programs to help their students address those learning gaps.”
It results from the pandemic.
Once the legislation goes into effect in April, this also means that “income limits are going to be going up next month, up to 400% of the poverty level.”
So a family of four making more than $79,000 might qualify for the program.
Since the program was rolled out last year, ODE has seen a lot of success with more than 20,000 students across the state signing up.
“We hear from parents all the time about the impact that it’s making on their students’ lives, increased socialization, and getting those extra supports. It’s been incredibly popular so far, and we’re really excited to see them expand,” Adams said.
As ODE looks to engage more families this year, Adams indicated they are now including the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.