Governor Kay Ivey on Friday introduced the Moores, an Alabama family participating in the CHOOSE Act, the governor’s education savings account program.
Crystal French-Moore and Johnnie Moore have two children: Javontae Moore, 14, a ninth grader, and Jacobe Moore, 13, an eighth grader. Both attend The Miracle Academy, a private school in Birmingham, with support from the CHOOSE Act. Javontae and Jacobe participated in the program last school year and are again using education savings accounts for the 2026-27 school year.
“The Moores are a prime example of parents dedicated to securing the best life possible for their children,” Ivey said. “They saw a change that needed to happen for their boys and sought to make that change a reality. I am proud that the CHOOSE Act has contributed to the prosperity of Javontae and Jacobe and the advancement of their education.”
French-Moore is a case manager for Aletheia House, where she helps veterans secure jobs and meet their needs as they reenter the workforce. She values a welcoming and safe educational environment that allows her children to thrive socially and academically, according to Ivey’s office. She pushes her sons to work hard and strive for success and recognizes the role education plays in achieving those goals.
“I didn’t know what I was going to be able to do for my kids,” French-Moore said. “My oldest son was depressed and being bullied, and I dreaded having to send them back to that environment. Now, for him to be out of that situation and for both boys to be thriving at their new school is truly amazing. I am incredibly appreciative of the impact that the CHOOSE Act has had on our family, and I hope more people learn about this wonderful opportunity.”
Javontae and Jacobe now enjoy going to school, according to the news release, and the school provides support tailored to their individual academic and social needs. Javontae, who has ADHD, receives assistance to help him succeed academically. He enjoys working out and playing football, and his favorite subjects are math and science. Jacobe enjoys playing games, wants to become a firefighter and lists social studies as his favorite subject.
French-Moore encouraged other Alabama parents to consider the program.
“Please go for it, take a chance,” she said. “Even if you think you won’t get approved for it, still try. Do whatever you can to make a better future for your kids. Never give up. The CHOOSE Act has truly been life-changing for our family, and I am so grateful for the help that this program has provided for my boys.”
CHOOSE Act funds can be used for instructional materials and supplies, including curriculum, textbooks, workbooks, educational software, computers and school supplies, as well as fees charged by tutors or schools.
“The Choose Act has been great for Miracle Academy and the state of Alabama,” Head of School Dr. Gregory Mullen said. “It has given many parents the opportunity to choose where their children are educated. These are parents who normally would not have been afforded the luxury of choosing where their children receive their education due to their financial situation. The CHOOSE Act has definitely removed that barrier.”
Miracle Academy was founded in 2020 in response to an educational need for Mullen’s daughter, Miracle, who has special needs. The school operates under the nonprofit Miracle Mullen Downs Foundation and serves students with special needs in the Birmingham area while honoring individualized education programs. The private Christian school says its mission is to provide quality education to a diverse community of students and teach them according to their individual learning styles.
The Moore family is among tens of thousands of families participating in the CHOOSE Act.
The CHOOSE Act website provides families with information about eligibility, applications for new and returning families, frequently asked questions, deadlines and guides for parents and education service providers.
The application period for the 2026-27 school year closed March 31 with 29,341 applications representing 48,927 students. Of those, 18,832 were new applications representing 29,986 students, while 10,509 were renewal applications representing 18,941 students.
More than 34,000 students were approved and could begin using CHOOSE Act funds for eligible education expenses July 1. The program provided more than $174 million in education savings accounts for Alabama families and students.
The CHOOSE Act provides refundable income tax credits, known as education savings accounts, to support eligible K-12 students in Alabama. Families can use an ESA to pay tuition, fees and other qualified education expenses at approved education service providers.
For the 2026-27 academic year, new families were eligible if their adjusted gross income did not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level for the preceding tax year. Beginning with the 2027-28 academic year, the program will be open to all families regardless of income.
The program prioritizes students with special needs, current participants and their siblings, and students who are dependents of active-duty service members and are enrolled in or assigned to a priority school. Remaining ESAs are awarded based on a family’s adjusted gross income as a percentage of the federal poverty level.
For more information, visit chooseact.alabama.gov, which includes a parent guide, program frequently asked questions and a list of approved education service providers. Applications for the 2027-28 academic year will open in January 2027 to all Alabama families, regardless of household income.
