Choose Act

The Alabama legislature passed the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act, otherwise known as the CHOOSE Act, in March 2024. The CHOOSE Act establishes education savings accounts (ESAs) for eligible students, which can be used to pay for a variety of educational expenses.

An awarded family receives $7,000 per eligible student who is enrolled in a participating school. Cottage Hill Christian Academy is an approved Education Service Provider (ESP). 

Funds from a student’s ESA can be used for a variety of approved expenses, including the following:

• Tuition
• Student activity fee and other approved fees (Athletic fees, extended care, senior fees, and some other fees are not approved expenses.)
• Textbooks in approved subjects (all CHCA core courses and electives qualify)
• School supplies
• Private tutoring
• Computers and tablets (up to $1,200 every two years)
• Technological aids (printers, ink, keyboards, etc.; up to $500 per year)
• Fees for standardized tests (ACT, PSAT, AP exams)
• Educational therapies for students with disabilities 

To be eligible for the upcoming school year, the following criteria must be met:

• Student must be entering K5-12th grade. K5 students must be five years old by September 1 of the upcoming school year
• Student must be a resident of Alabama.
• For the 2026-2027 academic year, household income must not exceed the amounts listed below.     Starting with the 2027-2028 academic year, all students are eligible to apply regardless of household income.         

The first 500 ESAs are reserved for participating students* with special needs. The parent must provide documentation that the student qualifies for and currently receives services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504.  Students who currently receive accommodations for documented learning disabilities could fit in this category. Parents or guardians should contact Mrs. Newton or Dr. Johnson with any questions about a student’s accommodation plan or required documentation.

Participating students* previously awarded in the 2025-2026 academic year  

Participating students* who are dependents of active-duty service members who are zoned to a priority school. Priority schools are public schools that received a grade of D or F on its most recent ALSDE school report card.

Participating students* whose family has an adjusted gross income not exceeding 300% of the federal poverty level for 2025

*Priority goes first to participating students and their siblings 

Families will receive an email with a link to the renewal application.  The renewal application will not be posted on the CHOOSE Act website.  The renewal period is December 15 – March 31.  

Online applications will open on January 2. The deadline to apply and submit all eligibility documents is March 31. We encourage families to apply as early as possible. Applications will be available online through the chooseact.alabama.gov website where you can check to see if your family qualifies and subscribe for family updates.  

• To apply, families will need the following documents:
• Student’s birth certificate, adoption records (if applicable)
• Verification of Alabama residency (driver’s license, utility bill, etc.)
• Proof of income (tax return documents, W-2 form, 1099 form, etc.)
• A copy of the student’s accommodations plan (for those with special needs) Parents or guardians should contact Mrs. Newton or Dr. Johnson with any questions concerning a student’s accommodation plan.  

Award notifications will be sent out from the Department of Revenue beginning April 15. Families should notify Mrs. Dressler in the Finance Office of their status once award notifications are received. 

A digital wallet account will be created within the ClassWallet platform.  There will be a separate account for each student approved in the family.  Funds will be deposited in the student’s ESA on July 1. All payments and purchases must be made through the Class Wallet platform. There is no reimbursement to families if payments are made outside of this system. Payments and purchases will follow these procedures:

• Tuition – CHCA will email parents a FACTS invoice for $7,000 in tuition to be due in July.  Families will request payment from the ESA to CHCA and upload the invoices into ClassWallet.  ClassWallet will transfer the tuition payment to CHCA. 

Funds will be deposited in the student’s ESA beginning July 1.  

Families who have previously received tuition assistance from CHCA and whose income is within the CHOOSE Act income threshold will be required to apply for the CHOOSE Act.  If the family timely applies for the CHOOSE Act and submits all required documentation but is not selected as a recipient, then the family may apply for FACTS Grant & Aid.  The family will be asked to submit the CHOOSE Act denial letter.  Tuition assistance received in a prior year from CHCA does not guarantee assistance in future years.  Each family is reviewed annually on a case-by-case basis.

Participating families are responsible for the tuition balances due in excess of the available funds in the ESA Account.  CHOOSE Act Tuition Payment Plans can be set up for the remaining balance to be paid in full in August or to be paid monthly, August – May. 

While enrollment fees are an approved expense, CHCA requires them to be paid prior to the ESA being funded in July, and reimbursements to the family are not allowed.

Per CHCA’s Financial Contract signed at (re)enrollment, families who withdraw after July 1 are responsible for the balance of the annual tuition.  Upon withdrawal, all balances must be paid in full.  No portion of any fees or tuition will be refunded.  The CHCA Administration reserves the right to review the student’s reason for withdrawal and to adjust this policy on a case-by-case basis.

AOSF families may renew their AOSF application and still apply for the CHOOSE Act.  However, a student cannot be the recipient of both AOSF and the CHOOSE Act.  If both funds are awarded, the parent may select the fund that is most beneficial for their student.

Unused funds at the end of the school year are returned to the CHOOSE Act Program.