Governor Race Puts CHOOSE Act Funding at Stake

Alabama families weighing private school funding should watch whether new students can still enroll in the CHOOSE Act program.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Financial Aid

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain schoolhouse silhouette on a rise against a pale sky, with a long shadow over distant pine forest. — Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones has pledged to close Alabama's CHOOSE Act private school funding to new students, after accepting a $20,000 donation from an out-of-state group opposed to Education Savings Accounts. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Doug Jones, the Democratic nominee for Alabama governor, accepted a $20,000 donation from the Democratic Education Action Network Alabama, an out-of-state organization that works to dismantle Education Savings Accounts. Jones has made opposition to the CHOOSE Act a cornerstone of his campaign.

Why it matters

The CHOOSE Act is Alabama's 2024 private school funding program, and Jones has said he wants to stop new students from being accepted into its private school funding portion while letting current students finish. For families weighing private school costs, the outcome of this race could determine whether new applicants can access the program.

The campaign finance records document a $20,000 contribution to Doug Jones from the Democratic Education Action Network Alabama. The CHOOSE Act is the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students' Education Act of 2024.

The players

Doug Jones

Democratic nominee for Alabama governor who has made opposition to the CHOOSE Act a central campaign issue.

Democratic Education Action Network Alabama

Out-of-state organization that works to dismantle Education Savings Accounts and contributed $20,000 to Jones's campaign.

The details

Campaign finance records show the $20,000 donation, which Jones accepted from an out-of-state group focused on dismantling Education Savings Accounts. The CHOOSE Act, enacted in 2024, is the state program that funds private school tuition, and Jones's proposal would close its private school funding portion to new students while allowing current participants to continue.

2024: The CHOOSE Act was enacted as the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students' Education Act.
November 2, 2026: The article reporting the $20,000 donation was published.

Education Landscape

Alabama's CHOOSE Act is part of a broader state-level movement toward Education Savings Accounts that fund private school tuition. The governor's race now places that program's future directly before voters.

Families considering private school funding through the CHOOSE Act should confirm current eligibility and enrollment rules with the program administrators before making decisions. Questions about how a policy change could affect a specific student's funding are best directed to the school's financial-aid office or another qualified adviser.

The takeaway

The race for Alabama governor will shape whether new students can enter the CHOOSE Act's private school funding portion. Families interested in this program should track the candidates' positions and the program's enrollment rules as the election approaches.