02-04-2025
Huntsville school helps parents apply for CHOOSE Act as deadline looms
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — In the fall, Alabama will roll out the CHOOSE Act, which pays for Education Savings Accounts for students attending private schools and homeschool programs.
The application deadline is less than a week away for parents, and Gov. Kay Ivey's office says more than 27,000 students have been signed up so far.
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The Montessori School of Huntsville is one of more than a dozen private and independent schools in Madison County that will participate in the first year of the program.
'We got information and just told parents there was another option for funding,' said Rebecca Duke, the head of the Montessori School of Huntsville.
Duke said that since applications opened in January, she has worked with parents who have had questions about how the program will work.
For each student who qualifies, the state will pay $7,000 toward their school expenses like tuition, fees and instructional materials. The program also includes homeschool students, paying out $2,000 per student to those families.
Duke said her school sees the program as a growth opportunity.
'We've had about 15 applicants altogether,' Duke said. 'I mean, our school is fairly small. We have 140 students, so that's not bad for the first year. We're hoping that continues to grow once people learn more about it.'Those applicants are a fairly equal mix of current and prospective students.
The state has allocated $100 million for the first year of the program, meaning every family that applied is not likely to receive an ESA this year. Over the next few years, the program is supposed to open up to more students, possibly bringing them to more private and independent schools.
'We're always looking at ways to make Montessori education accessible to the greater community,' Duke said. 'There's a lot to be discovered the first year, just kind of rolling everything out.'
This upcoming school year, the first 500 ESAs will be reserved for students with special needs. The program also prioritizes children of active duty military who are attending a priority school, meaning their school received a failing grade on the last state report card.
Families whose income does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty guidelines can qualify.
300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines
2 persons in household: $61,320
3 persons in household: $77,460
4 persons in household: $93,600
5 persons in household: $109,740
6 persons in household: $125,880
7 persons in households: $142,020
8 persons in households: $158,160
For households with more than 8 persons, add $5,380 for each additional person.
The governor's office said families will be notified if they were approved for the program in May and will be able to use the funds beginning in July.
Applications for the CHOOSE Act close on April 7.
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