Alabama School Choice

Alabama is making significant strides in expanding educational freedom for families across the state. Several key Alabama school choice initiatives are underway.

Alabama Accountability Act of 2013: Parent-Taxpayer Refundable Tax Credits

This program provides refundable tax credits to parents transferring their children from priority public schools to qualifying public or private schools. The credits cover up to 80% of the state’s per-student spending or the actual cost of attending a private school.

Creating Hope & Opportunity for Our Student' Education (CHOOSE) Tax Credit

The CHOOSE Act was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey on March 7, 2024 and makes refundable income tax credits called education savings accounts (ESAs) available to K-12 students in Alabama. ESAs may be used by eligible families to cover tuition, fees, and other qualified education expenses at approved education service providers (ESPs).

Charter Schools

Alabama allows the establishment of publicly funded charter schools that operate independently of the traditional public school system. These schools offer innovative educational approaches and increased flexibility in curriculum and administration.

Educational Scholarship

Alabama offers the Educational Scholarship Program, a tax-credit scholarship initiative that provides businesses with tax credits for their donations to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). These scholarships help families afford private school tuition, thereby expanding educational choices. Unlike traditional Alabama school choice funds, this program relies on private contributions from businesses. For a list of SGOs approved by the state of Alabama, review this list.