Education savings accounts created through Alabama’s CHOOSE Act are now fully funded for next school year, Gov. Kay Ivey recently announced.
Families whose applications were approved earlier this year can now access their funding through ClassWallet. The website sent out welcome emails about using the funds on or around July 1.
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Around 49,000 students, a record high, submitted applications for the 2026–2027 school year, according to the release. ALDOR approved more than 34,000 of those applications.
“The CHOOSE Act has changed the lives of thousands of Alabama families by enabling them to select schools that best align with their priorities and their child’s specific needs,” Ivey said in a release. “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.”
Alabama Daily News previously reported that fewer students sought CHOOSE Act ESAs for the first time this year, even though the total number of applications grew.
The Alabama Department of Revenue received 29,986 new applications for the 2026-27 school year, down from 36,873 last year, when every applicant was new to the program, according to information from the department.
For the 2026-27 school year, lawmakers increased CHOOSE Act funding to $250 million, but by funding 34,000 students, ALDOR only used $174 million of this earmark.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Claire Harrison and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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