Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced that Alabama’s CHOOSE Act education savings account program received a record number of applications for the 2026–27 school year.
The application period closed March 31 with 29,341 applications representing 48,927 students. Of those, 18,832 were new applications covering 29,986 students, while 10,509 were renewals representing 18,941 students.
“The CHOOSE Act has changed the lives of thousands of Alabama families by enabling them to choose schools that best align with their priorities and their child’s specific needs,” said Governor Ivey. “The increase in applications for the upcoming school year shows that the people of Alabama want school choice, and I am proud that we are able to give it to them!”
According to the governor’s office, applicant demographics closely mirror statewide census figures. This year’s applicants were 66.3% White and 33.7% Minority, compared to Alabama’s population of 68.2% White and 31.8% Minority.
Applications were submitted across multiple education settings, according to the governor’s office, including public and charter schools (8,961 students), private schools (21,351 students), and homeschooling (13,425 students). The release also reports 8,264 new homeschool applications and 697 renewals.
Students from all grade levels — from kindergarten through 12th grade — applied for the program.
The applicant pool was nearly evenly split by gender, with 24,305 female students and 24,611 male students applying. The release further breaks those figures down into new and renewal applicants within each group.
The program also saw participation from 5,115 students with special needs, including 1,973 renewals and 3,142 new applicants.
Additionally, 1,121 applications were submitted by active-duty military families living in priority school districts, including 356 renewals and 765 new applications.
Families are expected to receive notification of funding approval in mid-April, with approved students able to begin using CHOOSE Act education savings accounts for eligible expenses starting in July.
The figures were provided by the governor’s office as part of its summary of CHOOSE Act applications.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
