Governor Ivey Introduces a CHOOSE Act Family—the McDades

On Friday, Governor Kay Ivey introduced the McDades, an Alabama family utilizing the CHOOSE Act, the Education Savings Account (ESA) program. Breauna McDade has three sons who are 14, 11 and four years old. KaMarrion McDade is beginning sixth grade this school year and transferring from a public school to Valiant Cross Academy in Montgomery. KaMarrion’s education is being supported by the newly established CHOOSE Act program.

“The CHOOSE Act is supporting thousands of Alabama families across our state, families like the McDades,” said Governor Ivey. “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. I am proud to see this Alabama mom and her boys receive the education they desire!”

KaMarrion’s mother, Breauna McDade, first learned of Valiant Cross Academy while she worked in a daycare. She noticed the positive changes occurring in the boys that attended the school and wanted the same for her sons. Her oldest, KaMerrin, already attends Valiant Cross and is supported by the Alabama Accountability Act. While Breauna was generally happy with the public school education KaMarrion received, she simply wanted the Valiant Cross Academy education that aligned with the values she instilled in her boys at home.

To other Alabama parents, Breauna advised regarding the CHOOSE Act, “Do it. Use it. It’s only paperwork. The hardest part is the five-minute application. Give your children the advantage we did not have growing up.”

The McDade family is one of tens of thousands being supported by the CHOOSE Act, and Governor Ivey will continue highlighting real Alabama families positively impacted by this school choice program.

The CHOOSE Act makes refundable income tax credits called education savings accounts available to support the success of eligible K-12 students in Alabama. An ESA can be used to pay for tuition, fees and other qualified education expenses at approved Education Service Providers (ESPs) in Alabama.

Since CHOOSE Act applications opened in January 2025, students in every county throughout the state have applied, totaling 36,873 students. Funding for eligible students includes:

• $7,000 per eligible student enrolled in a participating school
• $2,000 per participating student enrolled in a home education program (maximum of $4,000 per family)

According to the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR), which administers the program, students from every grade level applied for funding this year, with over 23,000 students receiving approval. This equates to over $124 million in ESAs supporting school choice for Alabama families and students

For information, visit www.chooseact.alabama.gov, which has program information such as a Parent Guide, a Program FAQ and a list of approved education service providers. The application process for the 2026-2027 academic year will begin in January 2026.