More than half of the families applying for Alabama’s newly introduced school voucher program have children in private schools or are homeschooling. This surge in applications is being seen as strong support for school choice by its advocates, who believe it shows parents’ desire for more educational options.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s office released figures on Tuesday for the CHOOSE Act, a program designed to help eligible families use state funds to pay for private school or homeschooling expenses. A total of 22,167 applications were submitted for 36,873 students, a sign of high interest in the program. Ivey expressed her encouragement, stating that the large number of applications proves that “taxpaying Alabama families want school choice.”
“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. We are highly encouraged by the strong response in year one of the program,” Ivey said in a statement regarding the application figures.
The high number of applications suggests the possibility of exhausting the $100 million in funding allocated for the first year of the program. State lawmakers may consider adding more funds if needed.
The data reveals that more than half of the applications come from families whose children are either already in private schools or are being homeschooled. Of the 36,873 students, 10,287 are from public schools, 15,436 from private schools, and 9,070 are homeschooled.
Alabama is joining other states offering vouchers, tax credits, or scholarships to help families cover the costs of private school or alternative education. The CHOOSE Act, officially called the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act of 2024, provides eligible families up to $7,000 through education savings accounts to cover private school tuition or costs at participating schools. Homeschooling families can receive up to $2,000 for educational expenses.
The first 500 slots are specifically reserved for families of students with disabilities. Initially, the program is limited to families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, which is approximately $77,460 for a family of three. However, the income cap will be removed in 2027, although lower-income families and those with students with disabilities will be given priority for the funds.
Alabama lawmakers have allocated $100 million for the first year of the program. According to Gina Maiola, a spokesperson for Governor Ivey, the state plans to award as many funds as possible from the available budget. Families will be notified about their application status starting May 1.
“This far exceeded what we anticipated in year one as far as the number of applications. The question is how many of those are eligible. How many fall under the 300% income cap?” asked Sen. Arthur Orr, chairman of the Senate Education Budget Committee.
Orr, a Republican from Decatur, is considering the possibility of additional funding if the $100 million is not enough to cover all eligible applicants.
The data also shows the racial breakdown of the applications: 58.6% of applicants were white, while 41.4% were from non-white families. For context, Alabama’s population is approximately 64.1% white.
Supporters of the CHOOSE Act argue that such programs allow parents to choose the best educational option for their children. However, critics, like Sen. Rodger Smitherman, a Democrat from Birmingham, worry that the program may divert funding away from struggling public schools. Smitherman pointed out that Alabama has around 150 schools that are failing due to low test scores and need additional funding.
“As this grows, it’s going to take money from public education,” Smitherman warned.
