Update: This article was last updated on 15th January 2026 to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.
If you’ve ever felt stuck with limited school options for your child, Alabama’s CHOOSE Act ESA might change that.
Signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey in March 2024, the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act gives eligible families direct access to state education dollars through a digital wallet. Instead of those funds automatically going to your zoned public school, you decide how to spend them.
⭐How Much Funding Can You Get?
The amounts depend on your learning path:
- $7,000 per student enrolled in a participating private school
- $2,000 per student in a home education program (capped at $4,000 per family)
Who Gets Priority?
For the 2025-2026 school year, families must have an adjusted gross income (AGI) not exceeding 300% of the federal poverty level. Within that group, priority goes to:
- The first 500 students with special needs
- Dependents of active-duty service members enrolled in or assigned to priority schools
- Remaining spots awarded based on income level (lowest AGI first)
- Siblings of participating students get priority throughout
The Application Window
Applications open in January and close in April each year. Miss it, and you’ll wait until the next cycle. Approved families receive funds in their ClassWallet account starting July 1 of the academic year.
Recommended reading: Three Ways Alabama Families Can Access Education Funding (And How They’re Different)
What Can You Use It For?
Approved expenses include tuition and fees at participating schools, homeschool curriculum, tutoring, therapies, and other educational services. Just make sure your provider is approved by the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Recommended reading: Alabama’s CHOOSE Act ESA Just Put Education Funding in Your Hands—Here’s What You Need to Know
One important note: unused funds don’t roll over. Any money left at year’s end goes back to the state.
Get Started: Visit chooseact.alabama.gov or contact ClassWallet at help@classwallet.com or 877-969-5536 (Monday-Friday 7am-7pm CT, Saturday 9am-3pm CT).
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