MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WDNews) – Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday introduced the McDade family, one of thousands of Alabama households benefiting from the state’s CHOOSE Act education savings account (ESA) program.
Breauna McDade, a mother of three, is using the program to help her 11-year-old son, KaMarrion, transfer from public school to Valiant Cross Academy in Montgomery this school year. Her oldest son, KaMerrin, already attends Valiant Cross through the Alabama Accountability Act, and her youngest is four years old.
“The CHOOSE Act is supporting thousands of Alabama families across our state, families like the McDades,” Ivey said. “KaMarrion’s mom shared that she had the goal to send all of her boys to Valiant Cross to receive a quality education and to grow as young men, and the CHOOSE Act is helping her do just that.”
McDade said she first learned about Valiant Cross while working in a daycare and was inspired by the positive changes she saw in boys who attended the school. While satisfied with her son’s public school education, she wanted an environment that aligned closely with her family’s values.
To other parents considering the CHOOSE Act, McDade advised them to use it.
“Do it. Use it. It’s only paperwork,” McDade said. “The hardest part is the five-minute application. Give your children the advantage we did not have growing up.”
The CHOOSE Act provides refundable income tax credits $7,000 per eligible student enrolled in a participating private school and $2,000 per student in a home education program, with a $4,000 family cap. The funds can be used for tuition, fees and other approved education expenses at state-approved education service providers.
Since applications opened in January 2025, more than 36,800 students across Alabama have applied, with over 23,000 approved, totaling more than $124 million in ESAs this year. Applications for the 2026–2027 school year open in January 2026.
For more details, visit chooseact.alabama.gov.
