The debate over Alabama’s CHOOSE Act isn’t really about money.
It’s about who gets to decide what’s best for your child.
Nearly 49,000 Alabama students applied for the CHOOSE Act for the 2026-27 school year. That’s not a handful of wealthy families looking for a tax break. That’s tens of thousands of parents making a conscious decision about their children’s education.
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Governor Kay Ivey recently highlighted one of those families from Hale County. Eric and Autumn Harrison enrolled their three daughters at Southern Academy with the help of the CHOOSE Act. Their story isn’t unique. It’s one of thousands.
Autumn Harrison summed it up perfectly:
“Just having the option to choose the education we prefer for our girls has been life changing.”
Notice one word in that sentence.
Choice.
That’s what this debate is really about.
Supporters of the CHOOSE Act believe education funding should follow the student instead of being locked into a single system. Whether a family chooses a public school, a private school, or homeschooling, they believe parents should be trusted to make that decision.
Critics see it differently.
Doug Jones has promised to phase out the CHOOSE Act by ending new applications, arguing that taxpayer dollars shouldn’t go to private schools. Huntsville school board member Andrea Alvarez has gone even further, attacking lawmakers and the Alabama Policy Institute while calling the program unconstitutional and demanding more government oversight.
Both make essentially the same argument.
Government should decide where education dollars go.
Parents should have fewer options.
Supporters of school choice reject that premise entirely.
If nearly 49,000 students applied for the program, that isn’t evidence of failure. It’s evidence of demand.
Parents aren’t leaving public schools because someone told them to.
They’re leaving because they believe another educational environment better serves their children.
That doesn’t mean public schools are bad.
It means one size doesn’t fit every student.
For decades, families with financial means have had choices. They could move into a different school district or pay private school tuition out of pocket.
The CHOOSE Act gives more middle-class and working families that same opportunity.
Opponents argue that the program diverts money from public schools and that private schools aren’t subject to the same accountability requirements. Those are legitimate policy concerns worthy of debate.
But eliminating the program isn’t expanding educational opportunity.
It’s reducing it.
The real question Alabama voters should ask is simple.
Should government decide where your child goes to school?
Or should parents?
Nearly 49,000 Alabama students represent nearly 49,000 reasons why that question matters.
And judging by the overwhelming demand for the CHOOSE Act, Alabama families have already given their answer.
Jason Davenport is a seasoned media professional with over two decades of experience in the fields of broadcasting, audio/video production, and media consulting. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, Jason is the owner of Deep South Media, where he specializes in providing innovative solutions for clients, including podcasting, blogging, web design, and social media management.