Governor Kay Ivey announced on Wednesday that the CHOOSE Act family application portal access dates are available on the program's updated website, where Alabama families can sign up for the state's education savings account (ESA) program for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The website provides Alabama families with the latest information about the CHOOSE Act, including eligibility information, an online application for both renewing and new families, program FAQ, deadlines and parent and education service provider (ESP) guides.
The renewing family application portal for the 2026-2027 academic year will open on December 15, and the new family application portal will open on January 2. Both application portals close on March 31, with award notifications scheduled for April 15.
"The CHOOSE Act is a great success for real Alabama families and our state's continued educational growth," Ivey said. "I am excited for even more Alabama parents to have a greater voice in their children's education, and I urge parents to apply and choose the education that best suits their children."
The CHOOSE Act makes refundable income tax credits, called ESAs, available to support eligible K-12 students across Alabama. An ESA can be used to pay for school tuition, tutoring, educational therapies, and other qualified education expenses at approved ESPs. Funding for eligible students includes:
- $7,000 per participating student enrolled in a participating school
- $2,000 per participating student who is participating in a home education program (this includes an individual or group program, homeschool, co-ops, etc., and is capped at $4,000 per family)
For the 2026-2027 academic year, the program is open to new families with an adjusted gross income (AGI) not exceeding 300 percent of the federal poverty level for the preceding tax year.
For the 2027-2028 academic year and beyond, the program will be open to all families, regardless of income. The program will prioritize students with special needs, participating students and their siblings and students who are dependents of active-duty service members enrolled in or assigned to a priority school. Remaining ESAs will be available to students based on the family's AGI as a percentage of the federal poverty level.
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