Use your Alabama CHOOSE Act ESA at an accredited online private school.

For the 2026-27 academic year, families must have an adjusted gross income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Students must be Alabama residents in grades K5 through 12, ages 5 to 19 (or 5 to 21 for students who qualify for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act). Starting with the 2027-28 academic year, the income cap is removed. Any K5-12 Alabama resident becomes eligible, regardless of household income.

The CHOOSE Act provides $7,000 per participating student enrolled in a participating school and $2,000 per participating student in a home education program (capped at $4,000 per family). These amounts are set by statute and do not vary by grade level. Score Academy Online is classified as a participating school, so enrolled Score Academy Online students receive the full $7,000 award.

Yes. The CHOOSE Act defines participating schools as accredited public or private schools. Score Academy Online is a Cognia-accredited, NCAA-approved online private school and an approved participating school under the CHOOSE Act. Alabama families can use their ESA funds to pay Score Academy Online tuition directly through ClassWallet. All three Score Academy Online learning packages (Synchronous, Flex, Asynchronous) accept CHOOSE Act funds.

The 2026-27 application window closed March 31, 2026. The next new application window is expected to open in January 2027 for the 2027-28 academic year. That window is especially significant because 2027-28 is Year 3 of the program, when eligibility becomes universal and the 300% of federal poverty level income cap is removed. Families who were not approved in prior years, or whose income exceeded the cap, become eligible in 2027-28.

The Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR) administers the program and has contracted with ClassWallet as the program support partner. Funds are deposited into a parent-controlled ClassWallet account. Families pay tuition and other approved expenses directly through ClassWallet, and ALDOR verifies each transaction. Families received their 2025-26 award activation emails from ClassWallet on or around July 1, 2025, and the same pattern applies for 2026-27.

Approved expenses include tuition and fees at participating schools, tutoring services at approved education service providers (ESPs), educational therapies, and other qualified education expenses. All spending runs through ClassWallet, which connects families to ALDOR’s approved ESPs. Non-educational purchases and cash withdrawals are not permitted.

For the 2026-27 academic year, among families with AGI at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, the priority order is: (1) the first 500 ESAs awarded to students with special needs, (2) students previously awarded in the prior academic year, (3) dependents of active-duty service members enrolled in or assigned to a priority school as defined in Section 16-6D-4, and (4) remaining awards distributed based on family AGI as a percentage of the federal poverty level. Within each tier, priority goes to siblings of participating students.

If your application was not funded for 2026-27, you can reapply in January 2027 for the 2027-28 academic year. Starting with 2027-28, the income cap is removed and previously awarded students receive priority over new applicants. In the meantime, Score Academy Online offers multiple tuition options, and our admissions team can help you build a course plan that fits your current budget and positions your child to move straight into funded enrollment when 2027-28 funds are activated.

Yes. Score Academy Online is a state-approved participating school under the CHOOSE Act. Alabama families can use their CHOOSE Act ESA funds to pay Score Academy Online tuition directly through ClassWallet. Score Academy Online holds full Cognia and SACS CASI accreditation (required for participating schools under the CHOOSE Act) and offers NCAA-approved coursework for grades K through 12. Contact our admissions team for the exact vendor details you will need in ClassWallet.

The $7,000 award is for students enrolled in a participating school, which includes accredited private schools and accredited online schools like Score Academy Online. The $2,000 award is for students in a home education program, including individual or group programs, homeschool co-ops, and non-participating church schools. Home education awards are capped at $4,000 per family regardless of how many students participate. Enrolling at Score Academy Online qualifies your child for the full $7,000 participating school award.

The CHOOSE Act prioritizes students with special needs in the award order. The first 500 ESAs each year are reserved for students who qualify for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Students with special needs can be aged 5 to 21 (compared to 5 to 19 for general eligibility). The base award amount of $7,000 per participating school student applies the same way. Score Academy Online works with families who have IEPs, 504 plans, or Individualized Service Plans, and our small-class model is well suited to students who need more individualized attention.