Governor Kay Ivey announced on Thursday that the application period for the CHOOSE Act, Alabama’s new Education Savings Account (ESA) program designed to enhance educational outcomes for K-12 students, is now open. Families can submit their applications online for the 2025-2026 academic year via the CHOOSE Act website, with the application window open until April 7, 2025. Award notifications are set to be dispatched in May 2025.
“Alabama families now have the chance to kick off the new year with enhanced school choice within their communities,” stated Governor Ivey, who was instrumental in advocating for and signing the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education (CHOOSE) Act in March 2024. “This act empowers Alabama students to access the best possible education by offering families greater flexibility to choose educational paths tailored to their children’s unique needs. It’s an excellent chance to bolster Alabama’s future.”
The CHOOSE Act, administered by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR), provides ESAs to qualifying K-12 students, aiding in covering costs like tuition, tutoring, educational therapies, and other educational expenses at approved education service providers (ESPs) statewide. Here’s how the funding is allocated:
- $7,000 for each eligible student attending a participating school.
- $2,000 for each student in a home education setting (which includes individual or collective homeschooling, co-ops, etc.), with a maximum of $4,000 per family.
In its inaugural year, priority for the first 500 ESAs goes to students with special needs, followed by children of active-duty military personnel assigned to or enrolled in priority schools. Remaining accounts will be awarded based on family income, not exceeding 300% of the federal poverty level for the previous tax year (for instance, a family of four with an income under $93,600).
Approved students will be able to utilize their ESA funds starting July 2025.
Families interested in applying can do so now through the program’s website, which also offers a wealth of information, including eligibility criteria, FAQs, and detailed guides for parents and ESPs.
For more details, visit chooseact.alabama.gov.