Montgomery, AL – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced on Thursday that applications for the CHOOSE Act, the state’s new Education Savings Account (ESA) program, are now open. Families can apply online for the 2025-2026 school year through the program’s official website. The application period will remain open until April 7, 2025, with award notifications scheduled for May 2025.
The CHOOSE Act, signed into law by Governor Ivey in March 2024, aims to provide Alabama families with increased flexibility in selecting educational opportunities tailored to their children’s needs. “Alabama families can start the new year with a great opportunity for school choice in their communities,” said Governor Ivey. “The CHOOSE Act will help our Alabama students receive the highest-quality education possible by giving greater flexibility to families to pursue educational options that meet their individual needs. It is a wonderful opportunity to make the future of Alabama stronger than ever.”
Managed by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR), the program allocates ESA funds to eligible K-12 students to assist with tuition, tutoring, educational therapies, and other qualified educational expenses through approved education service providers (ESPs).
Funding Details:
- $7,000 per eligible student enrolled in a participating school.
- $2,000 per participating student enrolled in a home education program, capped at $4,000 per family.
In its inaugural year, the program will prioritize awarding the first 500 ESAs to students with special needs. A second priority will focus on dependents of active-duty service members assigned to or enrolled in priority schools. Remaining ESAs will be distributed based on family income, with eligibility restricted to those earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (approximately $93,600 annually for a family of four).
Approved students can begin accessing ESA funds for qualified educational expenses starting in July 2025.
The CHOOSE Act website provides detailed information on eligibility, FAQs, and resources for parents and education service providers. Applications for the program are now available at chooseact.alabama.gov.
