A Small School With a Big Impact on Conecuh Springs Families

In Union Springs, Alabama, families looking for an alternative to their local public schools have a unique option: Conecuh Springs Christian School.

As the only private school option in its county, Conecuh Springs serves families who are looking for something different for their children. For some, that means a Christian education. For others, it is the opportunity to find a school where their child can thrive in a smaller, more personal environment.

That philosophy extends beyond athletics. Small class sizes allow teachers to know their students well, while the school provides support to students and families as they navigate the next steps after graduation, including assistance with financial aid paperwork for college.

And those next steps can look different for every student.

Principal Padgett shared, “College is pushed as an option, even if they don’t want to. Most of our kids go somewhere after. Whether that be a 2-year, 4-year or even the military. Or even the workforce, which is fine, but they do that by choice.”

That last phrase matters: by choice. Their goal is not to put every student on the same path. It is to make sure students have a path to choose from.

What school choice means in a community with few options

Since Conecuh Springs is the only private school option in its county, making it particularly important for families who want an alternative to their assigned public school.

That makes programs like Alabama’s AAA Scholarship Program especially meaningful.

The principal says the impact of the scholarship is overwhelmingly positive.

“I couldn’t rationalize why you wouldn’t give a child an opportunity to do something different to better themselves,” she said.

For one Conecuh Springs family, that opportunity has helped their daughter thrive academically and beyond the classroom.

Her mother says she does not think her daughter would be as far along without the opportunity to attend Conecuh Springs. Today, she has a 4.0 GPA, participates in numerous activities and recently earned second alternate in Distinguished Young Women of Bullock County.

For this family, the scholarship has helped create opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom.

And they are not alone.

One family, two scholarships, more choices

For another mom, school choice has meant being able to find the right opportunity for each of her children.

Her son, Isaiah, attends Conecuh Springs with support from the AAA Scholarship Program. Her daughter, who is gifted, attends through the CHOOSE Act.

Having access to those scholarships has meant more than simply choosing a school. It has meant being able to pursue the education she believes will give each of her children a strong foundation for the future.

“I always wanted the best education for them that way they have a better opportunity,” she said.

Before her daughter received the CHOOSE Act, she explored other options, including a magnet school. Her daughter applied but was not selected through the lottery. The family even considered sending her to a magnet school in Montgomery, where her extended family lives.

“I would have just did what I had to do and make sacrifices to put her in a better school,” she said.

Instead, the CHOOSE Act opened another door.

At Conecuh Springs, the family has found a school community that aligns with what she wants for her children.

“They have a good community. The staff is excellent. Their programs are excellent. The value of the school is just amazing.”

She also appreciates the extracurricular opportunities available to her children and the sense of community that extends beyond the classroom.

This family's story is a reminder that school choice does not have to look the same for every child, even within the same family. One child may benefit from one scholarship program while another uses a different option. What matters is having the flexibility to find the educational environment that works best for each child.

More than school choice

The impact of school choice at Conecuh Springs extends beyond the students who receive scholarships. The principal says many of the families who volunteer, return for school events and stay involved are families whose children received the opportunity to attend through the AAA Scholarship Program.

“It’s opened the doors for a lot of families,” she said. “I think too, to build lasting relationships.”

That is an important part of the school choice conversation. Access to a different school does not just affect where a child spends the school day. It can create new opportunities, new relationships and a stronger sense of belonging for an entire family.

For donors who support the AAA Scholarship Program, the impact can sometimes feel abstract. A tax credit becomes part of a larger pool of funding, and it can be difficult to see exactly what that contribution makes possible.

At Conecuh Springs, the impact is much easier to see.

Mona sees it in the students who walk through the doors. She sees it in their families. She sees it in the relationships that develop and in the opportunities students have to participate, learn and prepare for whatever comes next.

“I would much rather know where my state revenue, where my money is going, than to the state,” she said. “To be able to designate it to something that I know is changing lives makes it such an impact for me. I see it every day.”

That is the power of educational choice: the opportunity to help families find a school where their children are known, supported and given the chance to succeed.

At Conecuh Springs Christian School, being small does not mean having less. It means every student has a chance to be seen.

And for the families who have found their way there, that can make all the difference.