Gov. Kay Ivey detailed her long-awaited school choice plan during her State of the State address Tuesday night. Her ultimate goal is to sign the first major school choice expansion since the Alabama Accountability Act was passed more than a decade ago.

“Our next step is to offer education savings accounts, starting with parents who are most in need. This will further our journey to becoming the most school choice-friendly state in the nation,” Ivey said. he said.

“Passing an education savings account bill that works for families and the state of Alabama is a top legislative priority of mine, and Education Budget Chairs Sen. Arthur Orr and Rep. Danny Garrett I’m proud to be enforcing the law.”

“CHOOSE” stands for “Act to Give Hope and Opportunity to Students' Education.”

AAA was passed in 2013 to help families of public school students who attend schools designated as “priority schools,” which protects families who decide to transfer their students to higher-performing public or private schools. We provide a refundable income tax credit to offset your expenses. school, or public charter school if available.

The expansion to AAA will occur during the 2023 session, and Governor Ivey said in her speech, Charter Schools and the Alabama Accountability Act. you achieved it. ”

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The CHOOSE Act would provide up to $7,000 per child enrolled in a qualified participating private or public school through an education savings account provided by a new earned income tax credit, according to newly released bill text. .

For the first two years, priority will be given to families who cannot afford to send their children to their preferred school through a $7,000 savings account.

Governor Ivey said after the first two years, the program will be available to all households.

Governor Ivey further stated: “My goal is to put the program on track to be fully universal while maintaining full and complete support for public education. I believe that the CHOOSE Act, packaged with a starting salary of 100%, will help further strengthen our public schools.”

Governor Ivey said legislative priorities will allow Alabama to continue on its path to ranking in the top 30 academically.

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“Governor Ivey and his team have been very receptive and collaborative with feedback from Congressman Garrett and me as they drafted the CHOOSE Act,” said Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur).

“That's why we believe we have created a school choice and education savings account bill that addresses an important part of the needs of schoolchildren while preserving the fiscal health of our public schools.”

Starting in the third year, all Alabama families will be eligible, putting the CHOOSE program on the path to becoming truly universal as the program grows.

“We must do everything we can to provide the next generation of Alabamians with the opportunity to pursue the educational path that best positions them for success,” said U.S. Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville). Stated.

“I want to commend Governor Ivey for proposing a plan to take school choice in Alabama to the next level. The CHOOSE Act gives hardworking parents a tool that has the potential to change the future trajectory of their children’s education. We provide.”

The program will cost the Education Trust Fund (ETF) $100 million annually to the CHOOSE Program Fund, and the Governor has already set aside $50 million for the fund in the FY 2024 Education Trust Fund supplement. are doing.

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The CHOOSE Act is supported by Senate President pro tempore Greg Reed (R-Jasper) and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville), who co-sponsor the bill.

“Children are a gift from God and the future of our great nation. One of our greatest responsibilities as legislators is to ensure that the children of our community have every opportunity to succeed and realize their dreams. It's about allocating resources in a fiscally responsible way to make sure we get what we're getting,” Pro Tem Reid said.

“A home’s ZIP code should not be the primary indicator of a child’s educational outcomes, and we are committed to helping Alabama families make the best decisions about their children’s education.”

“My priority for the School Choice Act was to provide additional options for parents without negatively impacting Alabama's public education system,” said Speaker Ledbetter.

“After working collaboratively with the Governor’s Office on the CHOOSE Act over the last year, we feel we have come up with a strong bill that accomplishes just that. We are grateful for Governor Ivey’s leadership on this important issue and we hope that the House will I am proud to co-sponsor the bill.”