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Alabama’s School Voucher Program Draws Significant Interest

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Recent statistics indicate that over half of the families applying for Alabama’s newly implemented school voucher program are either enrolled in private schools or participating in home-schooling. This trend has energized advocates for school choice, who assert that the surge in applications reflects a strong demand from parents for alternatives to traditional public schooling.

The office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey unveiled the application numbers on Tuesday for the CHOOSE Act, which enables qualified families to access state funds to alleviate the costs associated with private education or home-schooling. A total of 22,167 applications were submitted, representing 36,873 students.

Governor Ivey remarked that the high volume of applications is indicative of a clear desire for school choice among Alabama families who pay taxes. “The CHOOSE Act, Alabama’s education savings account program, will allow more taxpaying Alabama families the opportunity to choose a school that meets their child’s individual needs. We are highly encouraged by the strong response in year one of the program,” she stated.

With such a significant number of applications, there is speculation that the state may exhaust the $100 million allocated for the program’s inaugural year, potentially prompting legislators to consider increasing funding.

Data reveals that more than half of the applications are for students who are already attending private institutions or being home-schooled. Out of the total students, 10,287 come from public schools, 15,436 from private schools, and 9,070 are home-schooled.

Alabama is part of a growing number of states employing voucher systems, tax credits, or scholarships to assist families in covering private education expenses or other costs outside the conventional public school framework.

Under the provisions of the CHOOSE Act, also known as the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act of 2024, qualifying families could receive up to $7,000 in state funding through education savings accounts for private school costs or services at participating schools. Additionally, families may claim up to $2,000 for home-school expenses.

The program initially reserves the first 500 applications for families with students who have disabilities. Eligibility criteria currently limit participation to families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, approximately $77,460 for a family of three. This income cap will be lifted in 2027, yet priority for funds will be given to lower-income families and those with students with disabilities.

Lawmakers set aside $100 million for this first year, and Governor Ivey’s spokesperson, Gina Maiola, commented that the state intends to award as many funds as possible from the available budget.

Notifications for families regarding their award status will begin on May 1.

Senator Arthur Orr, chairman of the Senate education budget committee, expressed that the volume of applications significantly exceeded expectations for the first year, raising questions about eligibility and compliance with the income limit. “The question is how many of those are eligible. How many are under the 300% income cap?” he stated.

Orr, a Republican from Decatur, is exploring the possibility of additional funding or a supplemental appropriation should the $100 million prove insufficient to meet the needs of eligible applicants.

In terms of demographic breakdown, 58.6% of applicants identified as white, while 41.4% were from non-white backgrounds. This is notable given that Alabama’s overall population is approximately 64.1% white.

Supporters of the voucher program argue that it empowers parents by giving them the freedom to choose the educational routes that best suit their children. Conversely, critics contend that such initiatives siphon essential funds from public schools to benefit families who might already opt for private education.

Senator Rodger Smitherman, a Democrat from Birmingham, raised concerns about the implications for public schools, which are struggling due to low performance in numerous instances. “I’m concerned about the fact that we have about 150 failing schools, and those schools need additional revenue,” he noted.

Smitherman cautioned that as voucher programs proliferate, they could further diminish resources available for public education.

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