MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — More than half of families who applied for Alabama’s new school voucher program have children attending a private school or are home schooling, numbers that buoy school choice advocates who say the flood of applications proves the approach is what parents want
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office released application figures Tuesday for the CHOOSE Act, the new program which will help eligible families tap state dollars to help pay for private school or home-schooling costs. Families submitted 22,167 applications for a total of 36,873 students.
Ivey said the robust number of applications are a sign that, “clearly, taxpaying Alabama families want school choice.”
“The CHOOSE Act, Alabama’s education savings account program, will allow more taxpaying Alabama families the opportunity to choose a school that meets their child’s individual needs. We are highly encouraged by the strong response in year one of the program,” Ivey said in a statement about the application numbers.
The substantial number of applications raises the possibility that the state will exhaust the available $100 million in funding for the first year of the program, and that lawmakers will look to put additional money into the program.
The numbers showed that more than half of the applications come for students who are already attending a private school or being home-schooled. Of those 36,873 students, 10,287 students are from public schools, 15,436 students are from private schools and 9,070 are homeschooled.
Alabama is among the states that are using vouchers, tax credits or scholarships to parents to help families pay for private school or education costs outside of the public school setting.
Alabama’s CHOOSE Act, or Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act of 2024, will provide eligible families with as much as $7,000 in state money through education savings accounts for private school tuition or costs at a participating school. Parents could also get up to $2,000 for home school expenses.
The first 500 slots are reserved for families of students with disabilities. Eligibility is initially limited to families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, which is about $77,460 for a family of three. The income cap will go away in 2027, but lower-income families and families with students with disabilities would have priority for funds.
Alabama lawmakers allocated $100 million for the first year of the program. Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Ivey, said the state will provide as many awards “as possible” out of the available funding.
Families will be notified beginning May 1 if they will receive an award.
“This far exceeded what we anticipated in year one as far as the number of applications. Question is how many of those are eligible. How many are under the 300% income cap?” Sen. Arthur Orr, the chairman of the Senate education budget-writing committee, said.
Orr, R-Decatur, said he is looking at the possibility of a conditional or supplemental appropriation if the $100 million isn’t enough to cover the eligible applicants.
White families accounted for 58.6% of applications while non-white families accounted for 41.4% of applications. Alabama’s population is about 64.1% white.
Supporters say the programs let parents choose how best to educate their children. Critics say it drains money from public schools to help families who may have already decided to enroll their children in a private school.
“I’m concerned about the fact that we have about 150 failing schools and those schools need additional revenue,” Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, said referencing the designation for schools with low test scores.
“As this grows, it’s going to take money from public education,” Smitherman added.
FILE - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey visits the sidelines during an NCAA football game between Troy and Arkansas State, Oct. 7, 2023, in Troy, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
HANOI, Vietnam--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--
FPT, through its global IT services subsidiary FPT Software, has achieved ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the first global standard for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Management Systems. With this milestone, FPT became the first company in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia to earn this recognition, underscoring its commitment to responsible AI development and deployment with consideration for fairness and impartiality, privacy and security, safety, quality and robustness, governance, transparency and explainability.
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The certification was issued by the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company SGS and qualified by ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) - a leading U.S. accreditation body with global recognition. ISO/IEC 42001 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving AI management systems, allowing organizations to effectively manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, balancing innovation with compliance.
Achieving ISO/IEC 42001:2023 reflects FPT’s capability in AI governance, encompassing ethics, risk management, transparency, compliance, and ensuring alignment with both business goals and societal values. It also strengthens FPT’s position as a trusted technology partner for global organizations, especially those in highly regulated industries such as banking and financial services, automotive, healthcare, energy, and the public sector. The milestone further solidifies FPT’s position as an AI-first company, strengthening its foundation for scaling AI responsibly while helping clients navigate evolving regulatory, ethical, and operational challenges associated with AI adoption.
“As an AI-first company, we pledge to prioritize safety, ethics and accountability at every stage of our AI lifecycle. By continuously governing AI development and implementation processes, we provide our clients and partners with the assurance that our solutions are built with responsibility, transparency and adhere to international excellence,” said Dao Duy Cuong, FPT Software EVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer, FPT Corporation.
FPT actively promotes responsible AI development as a founding member of the AI Alliance led by IBM and Meta, and the Vietnam Ethical AI Committee. The company is committed to embedding rigorous AI governance across its global operations and solution portfolio, including its flagship AI platform FleziPT, which boosts productivity by 30%, accelerates development by 60% and reduces 50% in rework. The company also maintains co-creation partnerships with global leaders like AWS, Microsoft, SAP, and NVIDIA to deliver tailored solutions for industry-specific challenges. Supporting these efforts is a workforce of over 25,000 AI-augmented, globally certified engineers, and world-class infrastructure including cutting-edge AI Factories in Vietnam and Japan, which have been ranked among the world’s Top 40 fastest supercomputers. Expanding its AI footprint, FPT is developing a new Research Center in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, which is expected to become a critical component of its global AI development network, supporting high-quality talent cultivation for both the local community and the nation.
About FPT
FPT Corporation (FPT) is a globally leading technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, operating in three core sectors: Technology, Telecommunications, and Education. Over more than three decades, FPT has consistently delivered impactful solutions to millions of individuals and tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. As an AI-first company, FPT is committed to elevating Vietnam’s position on the global tech map and delivering world-class AI-enabled solutions for global enterprises. FPT focuses on three critical transformations: Digital Transformation, Intelligence Transformation, and Green Transformation. In 2024, FPT reported a total revenue of USD 2.47 billion and a workforce of over 54,000 employees across its core businesses. For more information about FPT's global IT services, please visit https://fptsoftware.com.
FPT received ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification during the certification award ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam
