OHIO — Now that kids have returned to school, more opportunities for families to help their children get a boost in their learning have opened up. 

The Ohio Department of Education is offering hundreds of dollars in credit to help kids whose learning was significantly impacted by the pandemic.

"The legislature was very aware that families and particularly children had been negatively impacted by the pandemic and they wanted to offer a program that allows families to have some choices about what would help their children," said Colleen Grady, Senior Program Officer at the Ohio Department of Education. "And so the ACE Childhood Enrichment Program was born.” 

Students ages 6-18 in families that earn 300% or less of the federal poverty level can get $500 credit toward access to a number of activities as a part of the Afterschool Child Enrichment Educational Savings Program. The goal is to help children recover from the impacts of the pandemic academically and socially.

Grady said they’re already starting to see a positive impact that the program is having on families and their children. Kids are able to participate in activities like academic tutoring, before- and after-school enrichment type programs, camps and field trips.