Q1: What is CHOOSE Act Alabama?
A: The Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act of 2024 (The
CHOOSE Act) is administered by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR).
CHOOSE Act Alabama makes refundable income tax credits called education savings
accounts (ESAs) available to support the success of eligible K-12 students in
Alabama. ALDOR has contracted with ClassWallet for programmatic support and to
coordinate the distribution of funds to participating families.
Q2: How much money does a student receive in an ESA?
A: A family can receive $7,000 per participating student who is enrolled in a
participating school and $2,000 per participating student who is participating in a home
education program (this includes an individual or group program, homeschool co-op,
etc., and is capped at $4,000 per family.)
Q3: What can the ESA funds be used for?
A: The funds can be used for a wide variety of educational options, giving families the
ability to meet their student’s personalized learning needs. Approved expenses
include:
● Tuition and select fees at a participating school
● Textbooks in approved subjects
● Fees for after-school or summer education programs provided by a
participating school
● Curriculum and supplemental reading materials
● Instructional materials (i.e., certain school supplies)
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● Private tutoring in approved subjects
● Computers and technological aids
● Tuition and fees for approved nonpublic K-12 online learning programs
● Educational software and applications
● Educational therapies for students with disabilities
● Fees for standardized and nationally recognized assessments
● Contracted services provided by a public school district, including
specific classroom instruction
More detailed information on approved and disallowed ESA expenses is available in the
Parent Guide.
Q4: Who is eligible for The CHOOSE Act Program?
A: To be eligible for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, the student must
be in grades K-12 and:
● Be a resident of Alabama
● Have an adjusted gross income that does not exceed 300% of the federal
poverty level for the proceeding tax year. See CHOOSE Act website for
current Federal Poverty Level guideline chart.
IMPORTANT NOTES ON ELIGIBILITY:
Priority Status: For eligible students the first 500 ESAs are reserved for
students with special needs.
In addition, priority is given to participating students and siblings of participating
students, as well as students who are dependents of active-duty service
members who are enrolled in or assigned to a priority school. A priority school is
defined as a public K-12 school that received a grade of “D” or “F” on its most
recent Alabama Department of Education school report card. See the complete
list of priority schools here.
To be eligible as a kindergartener, the student must turn 5 by September 1
of the start of the academic year.
Q5: How do I apply and what documents will I need?
A: Visit chooseact.alabama.gov for the application link that is available during the
application period.
You will be asked to provide:
- Student’s birth certificate (or other proof of guardianship)
- Proof of income (recent state or federal tax return is required. If applicant is not
required to file a return, a form W2, 1099, social security statement, etc., may be
submitted for household income verification) - Verification of Alabama residency (recent state or federal tax return, valid
Alabama driver’s license, recent utility bill with physical address, etc.)
As part of the application process, you will be asked to confirm which school
your student will be attending for the upcoming school year. You will also be
able to indicate if you will be educating your student through a home education
program.
In addition, if your student has special needs, you will be asked to provide a recent
copy of the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individualized
Service Plan (ISP), or 504 Plan. Active-duty military members must attest that the
student is enrolled in or assigned to a priority school, and will be asked to provide a
copy of their military-issued ID or a copy of military orders establishing that the
parent has been or will be stationed in the state of Alabama on active duty for a
period of more than 30 days during the academic year for which the parent will
receive a tax credit.
Refer to the current Family Application Timeline posted on chooseact.alabama.gov
for a reminder of the application and award deadlines.
Q6: I have a four-year old who will be starting kindergarten in the upcoming
school year. Can we apply?
A: Pursuant to program rules, a student must be five years of age by September 1
of the start of the academic year to be eligible to apply.
Example 1 – The student starts kindergarten on August 15, 2026, and turns 5 on
August 26, 2026. The student falls within the approved age range and is eligible to
apply..
Example 2 – The student starts kindergarten on August 15, 2026, and turns 5 on
September 2, 2026. The student does not call within the approved age range and
is not eligible to apply.
Q7: How will I be able to make purchases or payments with ESA funds? Do I
have to pay out-of-pocket and get reimbursed?
A: There is no reimbursement, of any educational expense, to families. All
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payments and purchases using ESA funds must be made through the
ClassWallet platform. Learn more in the Parent Guide.
Q8: Can my student remain in public school and participate?
A: Yes, if the public school is a participating school and charges tuition for the
student. See the current list of participating schools here.
Q9: Can a student be homeschooled and use ESA funds for homeschool-related
expenses like curriculum?
A: Yes, a parent/guardian can choose to homeschool their student and use the
funds for approved educational expenses. The ESA amount is $2,000 per
participating student and is capped at $4,000 per family.
Q10: If my student is approved, when will I get funding?
A: Funds, through an educational savings account (ESA) will be deposited into
the student’s digital wallet beginning July 1 of the academic year.
Q11: Where can I find a list of the approved participating schools and
vendors?
A: Lists of approved Participating Schools and of Education Service Providers will be
available on the program website. The providers on these lists have been approved
by ALDOR to participate in the program. If your preferred school or provider is not on
either list, encourage them to complete an Education Service Provider (ESP)
application available on the program website. ESPs will be added as approved
throughout the year.
Q12: What if my invoice is more than my ESA balance?
A: Participating families are responsible for any educational costs over and above the
ESA balance.
Q13: Is there a deadline by which the ESA funds must be used?
A: Yes, the ESA must be used within the academic year (between July 1 and June 30)
in which the funds are awarded. The funds do not rollover to the next academic year.
Unused ESA funds will be returned to the state’s CHOOSE Act Fund.
Q14: My child will be attending a private school. How do I get an Individualized
Service Plan (ISP) or similar plan, for my child who has special needs?
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CHOOSE ACT CONTACT
MORE INFO: help@classwallet.com
CALL: 877-313-2125
Choose Act 