Alabama lawmakers have approved a school choice program

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers gave final approval to a program similar to school vouchers that would provide eligible families with as much as $7,000 to help pay for private school and $2,000 for homeschooling expenses.

The Alabama Senate voted 23-9 on Wednesday for the proposal, which now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey, who is expected to sign the legislation. The Senate approval came after more than five hours of debate in which opposed lawmakers presented divergent views on allowing families to tap into public money for private schooling.

“This bill will add another choice to students, families and parents across the state and options they can either take or not take,” said Republican Arthur Orr, the bill sponsor. The state, he added, should “focus on the students and not so much institutions.”

The legislation will allow eligible families to access as much as $7,000 in state money for private school tuition, tutoring or transfer fees to move to another public school. Parents could also get up to $2,000 for home school expenses. The program would be funded at a minimum level of $100 million.

Ivey called for the passage of the bill in her State of the State address last month and named it a top priority for the session.

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