BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – New state data offer a closer look at where students receiving Alabama’s CHOOSE Act education savings account awards were enrolled last year – and where they plan to use the money during the 2026-27 school year.
Gov. Kay Ivey announced earlier this month that the state had committed about $174 million in CHOOSE Act funding for more than 34,000 students. Nearly 49,000 students applied for ESAs for the coming school year.
The new data from the Alabama Department of Revenue provide more detail about the students receiving those awards.
Most CHOOSE Act awards are going to students who were already educated outside traditional public schools. About three-fourths of the awards approved for the 2026-27 school year are going to students who previously attended private school or participated in a homeschool education program.
The chart below shows students’ previous school types and includes both new and renewed awards. Click here if you’re unable to see the chart.
As the chart shows, the program is still drawing students from traditional public schools: 4,598 recipients previously attended public school, though that is down from 5,176 during the program’s first year.
Just over 3,600 of those former public school students plan to use their awards at participating schools, while nearly 1,000 plan to use homeschool education programs.
Most participating schools are private, but the data currently do not show how many of the 3,600 students are headed to private schools and how many plan to attend participating public schools.
Of the 34,124 students approved for ESAs, 21,753 plan to attend participating schools, while 12,371 plan to use their awards through homeschool education programs, according to data provided to Alabama Daily News.
Participating schools include private schools and public school systems that have opted into the CHOOSE Act program. Public schools can accept ESA funds for tuition from students who live outside their district boundaries.
As of July 10, 300 private schools and 10 public school systems were listed as participating in the program.
Overall, the state identified 18,278 recipients as renewing students and 15,846 as new to the program, showing a nearly 50% increase from the 23,429 awards issued for the 2025-26 school year.
The table below shows that breakdown. Click here if you’re unable to see the table.
Lawmakers approved the CHOOSE Act in 2024, creating Alabama’s first statewide education savings account program, which opened at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
Students attending participating schools can receive $7,000 for tuition and other approved expenses. Students using homeschool or other home education programs can receive $2,000 per child, with a maximum of $4,000 per family.
The money can be used for tuition, textbooks, curriculum materials, school fees and certain educational services. The accounts are managed through ClassWallet, and payments are made directly to participating schools and approved providers rather than to families.
Lawmakers increased funding for the program from $100 million in its first year to $250 million for the 2026-27 school year.
Eligibility is currently limited to families with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. The income restriction is scheduled to be removed for the 2027-28 school year, although lawmakers have said they may instead raise the limit by a smaller amount depending on available funding.