Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter is excited that more students will be able to access the state’s school choice program in the future.
More than 34,000 Alabama students have been approved for the education savings account funding, as the CHOOSE Act program is fully funded for the 2026-27 school year.
Students enrolled in participating schools are eligible to receive $7,000 each, while students enrolled in home education programs qualify for $2,000 each, up to a maximum of $4,000 per family.
Ledbetter discussed the program recently on Talk 99.5’s “Leland Live.”
“I think we did it the right way,” Ledbetter said. “I applaud the chairman and ETF, and what they’ve done. Danny Garrett does an outstanding job, and try and do it the right way without it hurting the budget, and been able to do it over the long haul was the goal, and that’s what we were able to do.”
To be eligible for an education savings account this year, a family’s income in 2025 could not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level, but that income limit is expected to be removed for the 2027-28 school year.
“I think I had asked that they put in there that the first two or three years would be 300% of poverty level, and they got that in there to give the kids that didn’t have a choice where they could use that money to go to a different school, maybe a lower income level,” he explained. “So, we’ve done that, and then we open it up to everybody. So, I think it’s going to be exciting to see what happens.”
Ledbetter responded to some of the pushback he’s received from those worried about the effects the program will have on existing public schools.
“You know, you get complaints some from some public schools, but the fact of the matter is, if they’re doing a good job in the public school, they don’t have anything to worry about,” he argued. “But I think the kids should have opportunity. Their parents should have opportunity, and I get complaints about, well, yeah, you’re using public school money. No, we’re using taxpayer money. It’s people that pay the tax, that’s paying for this, and they should have opportunity to put the kids where they want them.”
The Speaker said he’s spoken to several parents who are thrilled at the opportunity for their children to get a better education.
“I mean, I live in a public school district. I mean, I get it, but I know there’s areas that people that need to have the opportunity, especially if it’s a single mom or a low-income family, it can make a difference in a child’s life,” he said. “And you know, I’ve had parents call me and say, you know, this school just wasn’t working out for them, and we moved them.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
