ACE Program Clarifications

Effective February 10, 2023

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has provided additional clarification and guidance to ACE Providers and the program’s criteria for determining what activities qualify for reimbursement. Services and/or programs that fall under life skills, health, holistic development, and social-emotional programs are not allowable educational activities. Additionally, therapy services, consulting and counseling services, and childcare are also not allowable expenditures under ACE.  The full guidance is as follows:

Allowable Uses

ACE Provider Guidance

• Funds awarded through the Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) program (RC 3310.70) may be used for the following secular or nonsecular programs and services:
  • (1) Before- or after-school educational programs;
  • (2) Day camps, including camps for academics, music, and arts;
  • (3) Tuition at learning extension centers;
  • (4) Tuition for learning pods;
  • (5) If the student has been excused from the compulsory attendance law for the purpose of home instruction under section 3321.04 of the Revised Code, the purchase of curriculum and materials;
  • (6) Educational, learning, or study skills services;
  • (7) Field trips to historical landmarks, museums, science centers, and theaters, including admission, exhibit, and program fees;
  • (8) Language classes;
  • (9) Instrument lessons;
  • (10) Tutoring.

ACE Provider/Program Requirements

• To be approved to provide services allowable under ACE, all education programs must be reflective of the provider/organization’s primary business.

• Individuals providing services should have a background (education and/or experience) consistent with the educational program provided.

• ACE providers must primarily serve individuals ages 6-18 and demonstrate experience providing educational programs for the age group.

• Life skills, health, holistic development, and social-emotional programs are not allowable educational activities. To be considered educational, programs must be aligned to academic standards adopted by the Ohio State Board of Education under Revised Code 3302.079. (See list below.)

• Childcare, including the services of a nanny, are not allowable expenditures under ACE.

• Therapy services, consulting, and counseling services are not allowable under ACE.

 Camps and Before- and After-School Educational Programs

• Before- and after-school programs, per statute, before- and after-school programs must be educational. For purposes of ACE expenditures, educational programs must align to academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education under Ohio Rev. Code 3301.079. Subjects covered by the standards include:

  • English language arts

  • Mathematics

  • Science

  • Social Studies

  • Computer Science

  • Physical education

  • Technology

  • Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship

  • Fine Arts

  • Foreign Language

• All educational programs and camps should be able to describe how their program aligns with and meets the academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education and provide examples of lesson plans that demonstrate alignment. 

• Before- and after-school programs and camps must be in-person, not online.

• Physical education activities can be provided by before- and after-school programs and camps to individual students when providers can demonstrate alignment to the Physical Education standards and provide examples of aligned lesson plans. Under the ACE program physical education activities cannot be part of a league or organized team, fees paid cannot include the purchase of equipment or uniforms, and fees cannot be used to pay for pay-to-play charges for interscholastic activities. Reasonable fees for equipment rental such as for skis or bowling shoes are permissible.

Learning Pods and Learning Extension Centers

• A learning pod is a small group of children, typically of a similar or age range, who come together to learn. Learning pods are often organized by parents. Parents may take turns teaching or hire a teacher to provide instruction.

• Designed to provide a safe, supervised location where students could have use of digital devices (computers, tablets) to access online instruction and activities, learning extensions opened during the COVID pandemic in school districts where students could not attend schools in-person. Learning extension centers utilize teachers and volunteers to provide help with homework and accessing online instruction on school days as an alternative to in-person instruction during normal school hours.

Prohibited Provider Activities

• Providers and programs cannot advertise themselves as “ACE-Approved.” Providers approved and participating in the ACE program may indicate that the organization is a “Participating ACE Provider.”

• Only approved and participating organizations may use the ACE logo on their website or program materials.

• Images of all provider-submitted photo IDs (driver’s licenses) must be fully readable.

• Providers that request information from families regarding participation in government support programs shall be removed from the program.

Claims with a service date on or before the effective date of 2/10/23 will be honored.