Governor Ivey Highlights Moore Family as Beneficiaries of CHOOSE Act ESAs

Governor Kay Ivey on Friday introduced the Moore family of Birmingham as one of the Alabama households using the CHOOSE Act education savings accounts (ESAs). The state release frames the family’s experience as an example of how the program can change a child’s school situation and describes program participation and funding for the 2026–27 year.

Who the Moores are and what changed

Crystal French-Moore and Johnnie Moore have two sons using CHOOSE Act ESAs: Javontae Moore, 14, a ninth-grader, and Jacobe Moore, 13, an eighth-grader. Both boys attended The Miracle Academy, a private school in Birmingham run under the Miracle Mullen Downs Foundation, in 2025–26 and continued there for the 2026–27 year using ESA funds, according to the governor’s office.

The release says Crystal French-Moore works as a case manager for Aletheia House, which helps veterans with employment and re-entry needs. She told the governor’s office that her family sought a school environment that addressed her children’s social and academic needs. The release quotes her saying her oldest son had been depressed and bullied at his previous school and that the move to The Miracle Academy has been “truly amazing,” making the family grateful for the CHOOSE Act’s role.

How The Miracle Academy fits

According to the governor’s statement, The Miracle Academy was founded in 2020 to meet local needs for special-needs education and operates as a 501(c)(3) under the Miracle Mullen Downs Foundation. The school provides a private Christian setting and emphasizes individualized education plans. The head of school, Dr. Gregory Mullen, told the governor’s office that the CHOOSE Act has allowed families who previously could not afford private options to select a school that better meets their children’s needs.

Program mechanics and eligibility for 2026–27

The CHOOSE Act makes refundable income tax credits available as education savings accounts that families can use for approved K–12 expenses, including tuition, curriculum, textbooks, educational software, computers, tutors and school fees, per the state release. For the 2026–27 academic year, new applicants were limited to families with adjusted gross income (AGI) at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level for the prior tax year; the program is set to open to all families regardless of income beginning in 2027–28.

The state said the program prioritizes students with special needs, current CHOOSE Act participants and their siblings, and dependents of active-duty service members enrolled in or assigned to a priority school. Remaining ESA awards were to be allocated by family AGI as a percentage of the federal poverty level.

2026–27 application and funding snapshot

The governor’s office reported the 2026–27 application window closed March 31, 2026, with a record 29,341 applications representing 48,927 students. Of those, 18,832 were new applications for 29,986 students and 10,509 were renewals for 18,941 students. More than 34,000 students were approved to use CHOOSE Act funds starting July 1, 2026, and those ESAs amounted to over $174 million in state-supported education savings accounts for Alabama families.

Voices from the family and school

In the governor’s release, Crystal French-Moore urged other parents to apply even if they think they may be denied, saying, “Please go for it, take a chance. Even if you think you won’t get approved for it, still try.” The head of The Miracle Academy, Dr. Mullen, described the CHOOSE Act as removing financial barriers that previously limited families’ school choices.

What families should know next

The release points readers to the program website for detailed information, noting the CHOOSE Act site includes eligibility rules, an online application (for both renewals and new families), FAQs, important deadlines and guides for parents and education service providers. It says the application period for the 2027–28 academic year will begin in January 2027 and that the program will then be open to all Alabama families regardless of household income.

Context and practical implications

• The governor’s statement presents the Moore family as a case study in how ESAs can shift children from public school settings they and their parents find unsuitable into private or specialized environments; the state release emphasizes individualized supports for students with special needs.
• The reported figures—29,341 applications, more than 34,000 approved students and over $174 million in ESAs—signal substantial state investment and rapid uptake for the program in 2026–27. Those numbers come from the governor’s office and should be treated as the official counts for the program year.
• Eligibility rules changed between 2026–27 and 2027–28. Families who did not qualify under the 300 percent AGI cap in 2026–27 may be eligible when the program opens to all incomes in 2027–28; the state release indicated the application window for that year opens in January 2027.

Where to verify details

The governor’s release directs readers to chooseact.alabama.gov for program rules, the parent guide, FAQs and the approved education service provider list. The facts and figures in this article are drawn from the official state release posted by Governor Ivey’s office on September 4, 2026.

Timeline (from the state release)

1. 2020 — The Miracle Academy was founded under the Miracle Mullen Downs Foundation (as reported in the state release).
2. March 31, 2026 — CHOOSE Act 2026–27 application period closed, per the governor’s office.
3. July 1, 2026 — Approved CHOOSE Act funds became available for approved educational expenses, according to the release.
4. January 2027 — State release says the application process for 2027–28 will begin.

Key takeaways

• The Moore family used CHOOSE Act ESAs to move their two sons to The Miracle Academy in Birmingham, citing improvements in wellbeing and academic fit.
• The 2026–27 CHOOSE Act round reported record applications and more than $174 million in ESAs supporting over 34,000 students, according to the governor’s office.
• Eligibility widened to all income levels beginning in 2027–28, and the state’s CHOOSE Act website is the official source for application details and lists of approved providers.