Alabama CHOOSE Act: parent guide
Prepare a CHOOSE Act application for your Alabama student, choose the correct school or home-education pathway, and understand what must happen before funds can be spent.
By ParentSurf / Sources reviewed
About this guide
An independent guide to Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students' Education (CHOOSE) Act, not an official application or an eligibility decision. Rules, application windows and available funds can change. Confirm your circumstances with the program before changing enrollment or committing money.
Before you start
Check the student and household rules
Review the rules for the school year you want, including Alabama residency, eligible grade, household income and priority categories. A participating-school award and a home-education award have different limits; do not budget for one using the other's amount.
Your next steps
Find the right application cycle
Use the official CHOOSE Act portal's family instructions. ALDOR's published 2026-27 application window has closed. An existing account or an interest-list signup does not submit an application for the next cycle.
Prepare and submit the household information
Follow the current family checklist for student identity, residency and household documentation. Select the intended education pathway and review every student entry before submitting through the official portal. Keep the submission confirmation.
Separate an award from a purchase approval
After an award, follow the account activation instructions and check the official provider directory. Verify the specific expense is allowed before placing an order; a provider's presence in the directory does not make its entire inventory eligible.
Preparation checklist
Use this to get organized. The current official application or handbook controls the full requirements.
- Student names, birth dates and intended grades
- Current residency and household records requested by the portal
- School or home-education choice and a realistic expense plan
Submit identity, financial, student and medical records only through the verified official process. Do not upload application documents to ParentSurf or include them in a public review.
Important distinctions
- An application deadline is not the same as a spending deadline.
- Do not assume a household qualifies using an income rule from another program year.
Official resources & further reading
State agencies and their program administrators are the source of application requirements. Older editions are labeled; check the program site for newer guidance.
- CHOOSE Act: family applications and support
Alabama Department of Revenue
- CHOOSE Act education service providers
Alabama Department of Revenue
- CHOOSE Act official program portal
State of Alabama