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Alabama CHOOSE act draws a record number of applicants in its second year

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Alabama CHOOSE act draws a record number of applicants in its second year


Alabama CHOOSE Act draws a record number of applicants in its second year

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THE FORECAST. ALL RIGHT. JASON. WELL, THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK MEANT TO GIVE PARENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AWARENESS OF THE OPTIONS THEY HAVE FOR THEIR CHILD’S EDUCATION. AND SOME RECENT POLLS IN ALABAMA SHOW THAT HAVING THAT CHOICE IS GROWING IN POPULARITY WITH PARENTS. A POLL COMMISSIONED BY NEW SCHOOLS FOR ALABAMA SHOWS THAT 67% OF THOSE SURVEYED SUPPORT A PARENT’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHERE THEIR CHILD GOES TO SCHOOL. NOW, THOSE POLLED ALSO SHOWED A 30 POINT JUMP IN OVERALL SUPPORT FOR OPTIONS LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE A PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOL OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT. HERE IN ALABAMA, IT’S EASIER THAN EVER FOR PARENTS TO CHOOSE DIFFERENT AVENUES OF EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN. ALABAMA’S CHOOSE ACT GIVES PARENTS THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLING THROUGH WHAT’S CALLED EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. WVTM 13 SARAH KILLIAN HAS A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW THIS WORKS AND THE IMPACT IT’S HAD ON FAMILIES IN OUR AREA. FOR JOEY, BETH AND JOSH BUGG OF HOOVER, HOMESCHOOLING THEIR DAUGHTERS WASN’T JUST A CHOICE, IT WAS A CALLING. WE REALLY FELT A VERY STRONG PEACE FROM GOD TO BE LIKE, THIS IS THIS IS THE RIGHT THING FOR YOUR FAMILY. BUT THAT CALLING WAS IN JEOPARDY IN 2024 WHEN JOSH LOST HIS JOB. HOMESCHOOLING IS VERY EXPENSIVE. CURRICULUM AND TECHNOLOGY AND PRINTERS AND PAPER AND MATERIALS ADDS UP VERY, VERY QUICKLY. WITH THAT FINANCIAL BURDEN LOOMING, A FRIEND OF CHURCH TOLD THE COUPLE ABOUT THE CHOOSE ACT ALABAMA SCHOOL CHOICE LAW. IT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2025. IT PROVIDES REFUNDABLE TAX CREDITS THROUGH EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, UP TO $7,000 FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND $2,000 FOR HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS. IT IS A LOT OF WORK TO GET IT AND TO GET THE ACCOUNT AND USE IT CORRECTLY AND SUBMIT IT. SUBMIT FORMS TO GET YOUR CURRICULUM OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. BUT FOR US, IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT. IT WAS HARD WORK, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT. AND IT’S BEEN WORTH IT FOR THOUSANDS OF OTHER FAMILIES IN ALABAMA. ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND THE TAX YEAR, 23,206 STUDENTS WERE APPROVED FOR EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, AND OF THOSE STUDENTS APPROVED, MORE THAN 19,000 RECEIVED THE MONEY, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS ARE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS. WHILE MORE THAN 7000 HOMESCHOOL STATE REPRESENTATIVE DANNY GARRETT OF TRUSSVILLE WAS ONE OF THE SPONSORS OF THE CHOOSE ACT. HE SAYS HE FELT STRONGLY THAT THE STATE NEEDED TO ADDRESS A GROWING TREND. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT CUSTOMIZATION, FLEXIBILITY AND CHOICE, AND EDUCATION IS NO DIFFERENT. ALABAMA IS ONE OF 18 STATES THAT FUND EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. SOME CRITICS SAY THAT THESE TAKE AWAY FROM FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS. EVERY YEAR. WE’VE INCREASED THE EDUCATION BUDGETS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR ARE GETTING MORE EVEN WITH THE CHOOSE ACT, THE $100 MILLION OF AN $11 BILLION BUDGET THAT’S SETTING ASIDE FOR TUESDAY, THEY’RE STILL GETTING MORE MONEY. AND PUBLIC EDUCATION LEADERS IN THE STATE ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT. RYAN HOLLINGSWORTH IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS OF ALABAMA. HE FOLLOWED THE CHOOSE ACT CLOSELY AS IT MADE ITS WAY THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THE LEGISLATION IS A PRETTY NICE IMPROVEMENT OVER SOME OTHER THINGS ACROSS THE NATION. IN ALABAMA, WE, THE LEGISLATURE, OUR LEADERSHIP, AND SET UP A SEPARATE ACCOUNT. SO THE ESSA ACTUALLY COMES OUT OF THE FUND, NOT DIRECTLY OUT OF THE EDUCATION BUDGET. AND WHILE HE AGREES THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE NOT BEEN SHORT CHANGED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, HE DOES WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE. YOU’RE SEEING THE EDUCATION REVENUE START TO FLATTEN. IF OUR REVENUES FLATTEN, THEN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GROW A CERTAIN PROGRAM WITHOUT TAKING AWAY FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM? STATE REPRESENTATIVE GARRETT IS QUICK TO ASSURE THAT FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE. BUT THINGS ARE CHANGING. WE’VE NOT SEEN ANY STATE THAT’S HAD SCHOOL CHOICE SEE A MASS EXODUS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A CONTINUED SHIFT. I THINK MORE AND MORE FEWER AND FEWER TO PRIVATE SCHOOL, MORE TO THE HOMESCHOOL MICRO SCHOOL. THOSE THOSE CONCEPTS SEEM TO BE REALLY GROWING AND GAINING, GAINING STEAM. THE HOMESCHOOL MOVEMENT HIT ITS PEAK DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND IT CONTINUES STRONG TODAY. APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HOMESCHOOL, AND WHEN THE BUCK FAMILY STARTED THEIR HOMESCHOOL JOURNEY IN 2023, THEY WEREN’T ALONE. SO THE LORD PUT IT ONTO MY HEART TO REACH OUT TO MY CHURCH FAMILY AND TALK TO DIFFERENT MOMS. AND BEYOND THAT, HE JUST REALLY STARTED BLESSING WITH MANY, MANY DIFFERENT MOM FRIENDS THAT WERE EITHER HAD BEEN HOMESCHOOLING FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR WERE CONSIDERING HOMESCHOOLING, AND TOGETHER THE BUGS AND OTHER FAMILIES AT HUNTER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH IN HOOVER STARTED THEIR OWN HOMESCHOOL COOPERATIVE, THE HUNTER HOMESCHOOL COOPERATIVE IS IN ITS SECOND YEAR AND HAS 63 STUDENTS GRADES ONE THROUGH FOUR. BRITTANY QUINN IS THE ADMINISTRATOR. PARENTS DROP THEIR KIDS OFF FROM 830 AND WE STAY UNTIL 130, SO TWO HALF DAYS A WEEK AND WE COVER ACADEMICS. WE HAVE CHAPEL EVERY DAY, TIME FOR RECREATION. YOU’VE GOT A GOOD HALF DAY, TWICE A WEEK OF ACADEMIC LEARNING, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO THAT AT HOME, BY YOURSELF, WITH YOUR PARENTS, OR WITH A GROUP, OR AT THE PARK, OR AT THE LIBRARY OR ON YOUR COUCH. FOR THE FAMILIES INVOLVED IN THE CO-OP, IT OFFERS COMMUNITY. I FEEL LIKE IT HAS JUST OPENED UP A WORLD OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR OUR DAUGHTER AND OUR UPCOMING DAUGHTER TO LEARN ABOUT AND SEE THAT SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE GOTTEN OTHERWISE. AND FOR THE BUGS, HOMESCHOOLING WOULD BE THEIR CHOICE. WITH OR WITHOUT THE CHOOSE ACT, WE KNOW THAT IT’S THE RIGHT FIT FOR OUR FAMILY. IT MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR EVERY OTHER FAMILY, AND WE SUPPORT THOSE FAMILIES IN WHATEVER JOURNEY THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON, AND WE ARE JUST INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THIS IS WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR OUR FAMILY IN HOOVER. SARAH KILLIAN WVTM 13. THE APPLICATION FOR THE CHOOSE ACT FOR THE 20 2627 SCHOOL YEAR IS NOW OPEN. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MARCH 31ST. YOU CAN FIND THE LIST OF

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Alabama CHOOSE Act draws a record number of applicants in its second year

Updated: 10:29 PM CDT Apr 8, 2026

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Gov. Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that Alabama’s education savings account program, known as the CHOOSE Act, drew a record number of applicants in its second year, with nearly 49,000 students seeking participation.The application period for the 2026–27 school year closed March 31 with 29,341 applications representing 48,927 students, according to the governor’s office. That total includes 18,832 new applications covering 29,986 students and 10,509 renewal applications representing 18,941 students.“The CHOOSE Act has changed the lives of thousands of Alabama families by enabling them to choose schools that best align with their priorities and their child’s specific needs,” Governor Ivey said in a statement. “The increase in applications for the upcoming school year shows that the people of Alabama want school choice, and I am proud that we are able to give it to them.” Families from a range of educational backgrounds applied to the program. Private school applicants made up the largest share with 21,351 students, followed by 13,425 homeschool applicants and 8,961 students from public and charter schools. Among homeschool applicants, 8,264 were new and 697 were renewals.Applications spanned all grade levels, from incoming kindergarteners through high school seniors. There were 24,305 female applicants and 24,611 male applicants. Of the female applicants, 9,480 were renewals and 14,825 were new, while male applicants included 9,458 renewals and 15,153 new submissions.>> YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Community coverage from WVTM 13The program also saw participation from 5,115 students with special needs, including 1,973 renewals and 3,142 new applicants. Additionally, 1,121 applications came from active-duty military families living in priority school districts, including 356 renewals and 765 new applicants.Families are expected to be notified of funding decisions in mid-April, with approved students able to begin using CHOOSE Act funds for eligible expenses starting in July.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that Alabama’s education savings account program, known as the CHOOSE Act, drew a record number of applicants in its second year, with nearly 49,000 students seeking participation.

The application period for the 2026–27 school year closed March 31 with 29,341 applications representing 48,927 students, according to the governor’s office. That total includes 18,832 new applications covering 29,986 students and 10,509 renewal applications representing 18,941 students.

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“The CHOOSE Act has changed the lives of thousands of Alabama families by enabling them to choose schools that best align with their priorities and their child’s specific needs,” Governor Ivey said in a statement.

“The increase in applications for the upcoming school year shows that the people of Alabama want school choice, and I am proud that we are able to give it to them.”

Families from a range of educational backgrounds applied to the program. Private school applicants made up the largest share with 21,351 students, followed by 13,425 homeschool applicants and 8,961 students from public and charter schools. Among homeschool applicants, 8,264 were new and 697 were renewals.

Applications spanned all grade levels, from incoming kindergarteners through high school seniors. There were 24,305 female applicants and 24,611 male applicants. Of the female applicants, 9,480 were renewals and 14,825 were new, while male applicants included 9,458 renewals and 15,153 new submissions.

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>> YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Community coverage from WVTM 13

The program also saw participation from 5,115 students with special needs, including 1,973 renewals and 3,142 new applicants. Additionally, 1,121 applications came from active-duty military families living in priority school districts, including 356 renewals and 765 new applicants.

Families are expected to be notified of funding decisions in mid-April, with approved students able to begin using CHOOSE Act funds for eligible expenses starting in July.

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Alabama teen charged with stabbing mom to death issued vile threat to dad — as new pic shows bloodbath left behind

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Alabama teen charged with stabbing mom to death issued vile threat to dad — as new pic shows bloodbath left behind


The Alabama teen charged in a heinous knife attack on his parents in their sleepy private community hissed that he was “gonna kill” his dad as he allegedly stabbed him — as new photos show the blood-soaked front porch where his butchered mom died.

The grisly scene unfolded on home surveillance footage Sunday night along Augustine Drive in the handsome Belforest complex — which captured the 17-year-old threatening his father, while allegedly knifing him.

“You can hear both of them coming out of the house, and there’s like one scream from the mom,” neighbor Shawn Scurry, 51, told The Post Wednesday.

“Then the dad is arguing with the [son] — and when I say arguing, I mean like, ‘Why are you doing this?’

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“He’s basically saying, ‘I don’t want to die. Please stop. No.’ And then he’s repeating, ‘Somebody help me, please, help me’ very loudly,” Scurry said of the clip. 

Samantha Baker (left) was allegedly stabbed to death by her 17-year-old son — as her husband, Lance Baker (right), begged the boy to stop the sickening attack. Facebook/Lance Samantha Baker

At one point, the audio captures the son “telling [the dad] he was gonna kill him.”

“Those words are in the video,” she said. 

Meanwhile, a large pool of blood stained the front entrance of a neighbor’s home where cops say 37-year-old Samantha Baker was butchered around 9 p.m. Sunday.

Another haunting image exclusively obtained by The Post shows blood splattered and smeared across a glass window overlooking the spot where Samantha was found dead.

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The bloodbath began after Samantha and her 46-year-old husband Lance Baker got into a heated argument with their 17-year-old son over a disciplinary issue inside their family home, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Captain Justin Correa told The Post Wednesday. 

That’s when the boy — whose name is being withheld by police — turned a kitchen knife on his parents, allegedly stabbing them both “multiple times,” according to Correa. 

A large pool of blood stained the front entrance of the Belforest community home in Baldwin County, where cops say Samantha Baker was found dead from multiple stab wounds Sunday night. Obtained by NY Post
Another haunting video clip exclusively obtained by The Post shows blood splattered and smeared across a glass window overlooking the spot where Samantha was found dead. Obtained by NY Post

The parents fled outside in a desperate bid to escape — but the attack continued.  

Lance’s spine-chilling screams could be heard as he ran door to door down the block, leaving bloodied handprints on neighbors’ front doors while seeking help — with his son right on his tail, according to the traumatized neighbor. 

“It was like fighting off a bee that keeps stinging you,” Scurry said, and claimed that another neighbor’s surveillance camera captured the teen repeatedly stabbing his father outside another nearby home. 

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Correa confirmed that doorbell camera footage of the assault had been handed over to police, and said at least “a few” of the neighbors were not home when Lance was looking for help. 

Lance only “went to doors where people were on vacation — that’s why they didn’t answer, and that’s why he was becoming helpless,” Scurry claimed.  

Scurry, who was home at the time, only became slightly aware of the horror unfolding when she spotted the Bakers’ dog wandering around her front door. 

“I walked with the dog back to their house, rang their doorbell. Nobody answered, and I went around to the garage,” she recalled. 

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That’s when she heard cries in the distance. 

“I heard … ‘Help me.’ I couldn’t find where it was coming from,” Scurry said, adding that she went back into her home after that. 

The bloodbath began after Samantha and Lance got into a heated argument with the knife-wielding son over a disciplinary issue, according to authorities. Facebook/Lance Samantha Baker

The teen eventually retreated to his family’s home and called 911, said authorities, who described the attack as an isolated domestic matter. 

Cops arrested him at the home without incident, according to Correa, who pushed back on reports that the alleged killer barricaded himself inside the house.

As emergency crews flooded their typically quiet street, Scurry said she stepped outside again and saw Samantha’s body before the coroner arrived. 

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“I saw her face down with stab wounds all over her back,” the shaken neighbor said. 

Samantha, a realtor, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Lance, a US Army Reserve Battalion Commander with the 1184th Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion in Mobile, was flown to a local hospital in critical condition, according to cops. 

Nest camera footage from a neighboring home allegedly captured chilling audio of Samantha’s final moments — along with Lance’s frantic pleas for the teen to drop the knife.  Obtained by NY Post

As of Wednesday, the father of two was still in the hospital, where his condition had become stable, Correa said. 

The teen, who will be tried as an adult, is facing charges of murder and attempted murder. He is being held in jail on a $1 million bond after his arraignment on Monday.

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The family’s younger teen son was not at the home at the time of the attack, police said.

“A very sad event for sure,” Correa said.



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Mac Jones asked who was his craziest teammate at Alabama

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Mac Jones asked who was his craziest teammate at Alabama





Jan 8, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Tony Brown (2) against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2018 CFP national championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Mac Jones joined “Bussin With The Boys” and was asked who his craziest teammate ever was, and he went back to his Alabama days to highlight Tony Brown.

Brown is a former Alabama cornerback.

“There’s this guy, Tony Brown,” Jones said. “I don’t know if you guys know him. Look him up on there. His name’s Crazy Tony, but he was a stud at Alabama. He played on that defense with like Daron Payne, like all those guys, Minka (Fitzpatrick), everybody. He played in the league for a little bit. He was the man, like scout team, me and him. Every day, like going at it, like pretty much fighting. He was just crazy, dude. I’d throw a dig route over the middle, and he would just crush our scout team receiver. Like, Mac Hereford… he would go over the middle and Crazy Tony would just crush him. Saban would just look the other way. I’m like, dude, he just got smoked. Like, what are we doing? It’s like same thing, fighting at practice and stuff. But he was a great teammate. He just had his thing on the field where it was like he just blacked out. It wasn’t because he was a bad guy or anything. That’s what he does. He goes and knocks people out.”

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Brown played for Alabama from 2014 to 2017, and he was a part of two National Championship teams. He finished his career at Alabama with 89 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions before moving on to the NFL.







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Alabama adds commitment from in-state linebacker to 2028 class

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Alabama adds commitment from in-state linebacker to 2028 class


The Alabama Crimson Tide have landed a commitment from Ryquan Butler, he announced Tuesday on social media.

An in-state prospect, Butler is Alabama’s fourth commitment of the 2028 cycle.

At the moment, Butler is currently unranked as a recruit, per the 247Sports Composite rankings, but that is likely to change in the near future ahead of his upcoming junior season at Alabama’s Loachapoka High School. There, Butler plays a number of different roles, but likely projects as a linebacker at the next level.

Following the commitment of Butler, Alabama’s 2028 class now ranks No. 2 nationally, per 247Sports. Butler is also now Alabama’s second 2028 linebacker commitment where he joins Dustin Henry out of St. Frances Academy in Maryland, as well as the Crimson Tide’s first from in-state.

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