Welcoming Our New Director of Development: Strengthening Opportunity Across Alabama

December 8, 2025

Deepening Our Commitment to Students and Families Statewide

The Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund is pleased to welcome Sherri Rowton as our new Director of Development. With more than two decades of experience at Auburn University, Sherri brings a deep understanding of how education shapes lives—and a clear commitment to expanding opportunity for students across our state.


She has seen firsthand how the right learning environment can set a child on a path to success. That journey doesn’t begin in college; it starts much earlier. That’s why AOSF’s mission remains both simple and profoundly important: ensuring families have access to the educational setting where their children can truly thrive. When students flourish, communities grow stronger, and Alabama moves forward.


As the year comes to a close, we invite supporters—both long-standing and new—to continue partnering with us in this work. For those who have not yet claimed their 2025 tax credit, now is an ideal time to do so. As a 501(c)(3), AOSF also welcomes tax-deductible contributions, which help meet student needs beyond tuition and expand the support we can offer families.


Our team is always here to answer questions or assist with year-end giving. During this season of gratitude, we are deeply thankful for the generosity that fuels our mission and transforms opportunities for students statewide.


Wishing you and your family a joyful holiday season. We look forward to all we will accomplish together in 2026.

More Opportunity: Understanding Alabama’s School Choice Programs

October 20, 2026
Every child learns differently. Every family has different priorities. And finding the right educational environment often starts with understanding the options available. In Alabama, those options continue to expand. The Alabama Accountability Act (AAA) Scholarship Program has helped eligible students access private schools for more than a decade. The CHOOSE Act introduced education savings accounts, giving participating families more flexibility with qualifying educational expenses. And beginning January 1, 2027, the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) will create another opportunity to support students through scholarship-granting organizations. These programs serve different purposes, but together, they reflect a broader shift toward giving families more ways to pursue the education that works best for their children.
Three children with backpacks walking arm-in-arm down a school hallway

When a Child Learns Differently, Choice Matters

October 13, 2026
Two Alabama schools show how the right educational environment can help students with learning differences thrive.
Children sitting in a row, laughing and smiling in a bright classroom

Everyone Can Be a Philanthropist: A New Opportunity for Alabama Schools

October 5, 2026
EFTC gives Alabama schools a new opportunity to reach donors beyond state lines. Learn how school-directed contributions could expand support for scholarships.
Hands reviewing documents at a meeting table with coffee and a calculator

New Treasury Guidance Brings Clarity to the Education Freedom Tax Credit

October 2, 2026
Treasury has issued new EFTC guidance. AOSF has reviewed the regulations and is ready for what’s next.
Three people talking at an indoor event table with a gold “150” display in the foreground.

A New Opportunity Is Coming to Alabama. Do Families Know About It?

September 28, 2026
Learn how the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) will expand school choice in 2027, including eligibility, scholarships and how EFTC funds can stack with AAA and CHOOSE Act funds.
Two people in navy shirts high-five in front of a brick wall.

A Different Place to Learn

September 21, 2026
A new Montgomery microschool is helping students find and utilize their gifts.

Our Scholarships Fund Alabama's Future Workforce

September 14, 2026
Discover how Alabama businesses can use tax credits to invest in students and help build the future of Alabama’s workforce.

A Small School With a Big Impact on Conecuh Springs Families

September 8, 2026
Discover how school choice is giving Conecuh Springs families access to opportunity, community and an education that fits their children.

Dear Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund

August 31, 2026
A mom is thankful for her daughter's education, made possible through a tax credit scholarship and Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund.

When School Isn’t Working, Parents Want Options

August 24, 2026
Parents don't change schools because they enjoy starting over. Changing schools can mean new routines, new teachers, new classmates and a whole new adjustment for a child. So when families make that decision, it's worth asking what is driving them to look for something different. Recent survey data from EdChoice and the National School Choice Awareness Foundation provide some answers. Together, the findings offer a clearer picture of what families experience when a school isn't meeting their child's needs and what they are looking for in a new educational environment.