Universal School Choice is the Alabama Republican Party’s top legislative priority for the 2024 session. HB129 – the Creating Hope & Opportunity for Our Students’ Education (CHOOSE) Act – has already passed the House of Representatives, and the Alabama GOP expects it to pass the State Senate this week.
“The Republican Party has been working towards School Choice for years, and we are thrilled to finally see it getting close to the finish line. We expect HB129 to be passed into law this week. A child’s quality of education should never be based on their background or where they live. We believe every family should have the opportunity to receive a better education, and School Choice is an important part in accomplishing that goal. It’s time to put parents back in control of their children’s education,” said Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl.
The Alabama Education Association (AEA) is pushing a Senate amendment that would place a cap on funding for a School Choice program. The Alabama GOP opposes such a cap.
“The Republican Party does not support adding a monetary cap to School Choice in Alabama. We believe every student should have access to a better education. Placing a cap on this bill would be discriminatory to many Alabama students, leaving families who should be able to participate out in the cold. Such a system would be unfair, and quite simply bad policy for any state. The bottom line is that Alabama parents must be making the decisions for their children, not a government bureaucracy or an education union. We thank Governor Ivey for making this a legislative priority. Now is the time to pass School Choice and put parents back in the driver’s seat,” said Chairman Wahl.
State Representative Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) is the sponsor of the CHOOSE Act. Governor Kay Ivey included the legislation in her 2024 State of the State Address.
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