At the end of the deadline, the State of Alabama received nearly 37,000 students applying for its school choice program, the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students' Education (CHOOSE) Act.
Lawmakers passed the CHOOSE Act in 2024. The law allows the Department of Revenue (ALDOR) to manage education savings accounts (ESAs) for approved students. ESAs are funded through a refundable income tax credit available to eligible parents. The individual credit would be $7,000 for students in participating schools, while non-participating school students—such as homeschooled students—are $2,000 per student and $4,000 per family.
The deadline for applying under the CHOOSE Act closed at midnight Tuesday morning, garnering 22,167 applications for 36,873 students. Governor Kay Ivey’s office announced that the number of applicants was essentially even between genders. Of the applicants, 4,900 were special needs, and 124 came from military families.
“The CHOOSE Act, Alabama’s education savings account program, will allow more taxpaying Alabama families the opportunity to choose a school that meets their child’s individual needs,” Ivey said. “We are highly encouraged by the strong response in year one of the program. We have received applications from all of Alabama’s 67 counties and from a wide range of families. Clearly, taxpaying Alabama families want school choice!”
ESAs can be used to pay for school tuition, tutoring, educational therapies and other qualified education expenses at approved ESPs across the state. ESPs are individuals or organizations that ALDOR authorizes to provide educational goods and services to participating families.
During the first year of implementation, the first 500 ESAs will be awarded to participating students with special needs. A second priority is granted to dependents of active-duty service members enrolled in or assigned to a priority school. The remaining ESAs will be awarded to participating students based on each family's adjusted gross income, not exceeding 300% of the federal poverty level for the preceding tax year.
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