Supporting Educational Choice for Alabama's Students

Alabama businesses are leaving millions in education tax credits on the table

This piece was orginally published in Business Alabama

Sept. 1, 2026

If you told an Alabama business owner there was a way to redirect state income tax dollars they already owe into scholarships for Alabama students — at no additional cost — you’d probably expect the opportunity to disappear quickly.

That’s exactly what happens in Georgia.

Each January, taxpayers race to reserve the state’s Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit. In 2026, taxpayers requested nearly $246 million in education tax credits on the first business day of the year, even though the state had authorized just $120 million. Within days, every available credit had been claimed, and applicants received less than half of what they requested. The shortage wasn’t generosity. It was supply. The state simply ran out of available tax credits.

Now compare that with Alabama.

Alabama’s school choice landscape is growing. So are the opportunities for students.

This piece was originally published in Alabama Daily News

August 27, 2026

Alabama’s school choice landscape looks very different today than it did in 2013, when the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA) Scholarship Program launched.

That is a good thing.

The CHOOSE Act has opened the door to educational savings accounts giving Alabama families greater flexibility to choose the educational environment that works best for their children. It is an important step forward for a state that increasingly recognizes that one-size-fits-all education does not work for every student.

But as Alabama’s school choice options grow, there is an important distinction that should not get lost: the CHOOSE Act did not replace the AAA Scholarship Program.

Expanding Educational Freedom – New Federal Tax Credit Program

This podcast was originally published on Bama Knows Education

School choice is entering a new era—and Alabama is at the center of it.

In this episode, Love Your School Director Sheila Banister sits down with Andy Ryan, Executive Director of the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund, to break down the biggest developments shaping educational freedom in Alabama. From the Alabama Accountability Act to the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, they explore how these programs are expanding opportunities for families and giving parents more choices than ever before.



What if your Alabama taxes could change a student's life?

This piece was originally published in 1819 News

July 19, 2026

Every day, I have the privilege of talking with Alabama families whose lives have been changed by educational opportunity. I also talk with Alabama taxpayers who are surprised to learn that they have the power to create that opportunity.

That's because many people have never heard of the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA) Scholarship Program.

For more than a decade, the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund has helped low-income students and students with unique educational needs attend the school that's the best fit for them. Yet today, millions of dollars in available tax credits remain unreserved, not because the need isn't there, but because too few taxpayers know this opportunity exists.

National school choice program builds on Alabama’s, with notable differences

This piece was originally published in The Alabama Daily News

July 22, 2025

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the first time, school choice is going national. As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, a new federal tax credit scholarship program creates the first nationwide school choice initiative – building on models already in place in states like Alabama.

The federal program, set to begin in 2027, offers taxpayers a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit – up to $1,700 annually – for donations to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to eligible K-12 students. 

How a new $7,000 tax credit will reshape school choice, education in Alabama: ‘Balancing act’

This piece was originally published by AL.com

July 10, 2025

Invest in Education Coalition applauds Congress for passing historic legislation supporting parental choice in K-12 education

Nick West, a part-time computer science teacher, spends a lot of time in the carpool line of his Mobile private school, fielding question after question about scholarships and financial aid.

For local parents, he’s a go-to guy for tips about affording a private school education. Between classes, he’s an evangelist for Alabama’s new CHOOSE Act, which, starting this summer, gives eligible families up to $7,000 in tax credits to spend on private education.

Historic School Choice Legislation Passed

This piece was originally published by Invest in Education

July 3, 2025

Invest in Education Coalition applauds Congress for passing historic legislation supporting parental choice in K-12 education

WASHINGTON, DC – Invest in Education Coalition (IIEC), a national organization dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, applauds the House of Representatives for passing a permanent federal tax credit today for private donations to fund K-12 scholarships. This provision, which was included in the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”, is based on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), authored by Rep. Adrian Smith in the House and Sen. Bill Cassidy in the Senate. 

CHOOSE Act Education Savings Accounts now fully funded and available for 2025-2026 recipients

This piece was originally published by YellowHammer News

July 2, 2025

Since CHOOSE Act applications opened in January, almost 37,000 students in public schools and home education programs across the state have registered to gain access to funding as they look to further quality education on their terms.

According to Governor Kay Ivey, as of today, education savings accounts (ESAs) established by the CHOOSE Act are now fully funded and available for the 2025-2026 school year.

“Our CHOOSE Act education saving accounts are officially ready to support thousands of Alabama families and students with their unique educational needs,” she said. “In just the first year, our state’s ESA program is incredibly popular, providing opportunity, flexibility, and choice when it comes to our children’s education. I am excited to see the program in action this year.”