ACE Scholarships
A bespoke application enabling underserved families to apply for a new type of state-funded K-12 scholarship
Learning the true value of access and opportunity for all
The Problem
Every year, millions of dollars in state scholarship funding goes unawarded and unused due to overly-complicated and inaccessible application processes. Over the past several years, new state-funded scholarship vehicles known as an Educational Savings Account (ESA) have been gaining traction. In 2023, the State of Utah issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to launch its own ESA program aimed at democratizing the scholarship application process and the administration of funds.
ACE Scholarships, a veteran provider of private K-12 scholarships whose goal is to lift people out of poverty through education, decided to throw its hat into the ring.
ACE Scholarships, a veteran provider of private K-12 scholarships whose goal is to lift people out of poverty through education, decided to throw its hat into the ring.
The Task
ACE engaged Crux to develop an intuitive, frictionless bespoke digital experience that would enable low-income and English as a Second Language (ESL) families to apply for the new ESA program, giving them access to previously unobtainable school choice opportunities.
The Solution
In only six months, Crux Digital designed, architected, and delivered a cutting-edge digital platform, known as Access, composed of three different products: an application that makes it as easy as possible to apply for scholarships, an admin portal to help underserved families navigate the application process and fund management, and a spend management solution — in partnership with Class Wallet — to distributed awarded funds and track usage.
The Access platform accounts for complex, state-by-state legislative variances in ESA program requirements and supports a wide network of service providers.
The Access platform accounts for complex, state-by-state legislative variances in ESA program requirements and supports a wide network of service providers.
Technically Speaking
Underwent deep discovery process, including tech analysis, scholarship ecosystem player analysis, user and buyer research, legislation analysis
Leveraged industry-leading third-party partners for identity verification and income validation, Plaid and Ocrolous
Built a multi-tenancy architecture solution using modern development frameworks
Additionally:
NoSQL database provides the flexibility to handle complex data structures and migration across multiple state-run programs
Supports best-in-class third-party Integrations to minimize risk (USBE)
Employs responsive design for smartphone accessibility
Translates dense legislation into technical requirements
Enabled to securely capture and cordon off personally identifiable information
Modular front- and back-ends to support a variety of different programs, data, rules, etc, and allow for integration of third party services, respectfully
The Outcome
Our Access prototype won ACE the Utah RFP.
In February 2024, the Access platform officially launched in the state of Utah, receiving almost 7,000 applications in the program’s first days. Impressed by the overwhelming response, the Utah state legislature doubled its first-year funding of the ESA program from $42.5M to $82.5M.
Nearly 30,000 student applications were received during the first-year application window. Of those applications, almost 10,000 of the highest-need students were awarded with $8,000 scholarships each, forever changing the course of those children’s lives and education.
As ACE deploys Access for ESA programs in other states, it will significantly expand its mission of providing low-income families with better educational opportunities.
