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Alabama Ranked 3rd in the nation for school choice program

by API NewsEducation Freedom

EdChoice Friedman Index

Alabama Tied for #3 in the Nation for Universal School Choice!

The EdChoice Friedman Index was released and the State of Alabama is tied for third in the nation for student accessibility for universal school choice! Florida ranked first. Arkansas was only one point ahead of Alabama and Arizona, who tied for third. The Index – based upon conservative principles – evaluates three key factors: student eligibility–the percentage of children who can participate in taxpayer-funded private K–12 choice programs; flexible use of funds–assessing whether families can apply these funds not only to private school tuition but also to other educational expenses such as tutoring, textbooks, test fees, and special needs therapies; and funding parity–determining whether choice programs receive funding comparable to state and local per-student allocations for public schools. 

“The Alabama Policy Institute was proud to help lead the charge for universal school choice in Alabama! This index, facilitated by EdChoice and named for Milton and Rose Friedman is truly the gold standard ranking for school choice. We’re proud of our state and look forward to seeing families thrive and students excel as they are able to exercise educational freedom.”  API President & CEO Stephanie Smith

Read the Full Report here: https://www.edchoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-Friedman-Index.pdf

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Stephanie Smith & Sheila Banister talk school choice on “Bama Knows Education” Podcast

by API NewsEducation FreedomStrong Families

In this episode, we spotlight school choice and discuss how the Alabama Policy Institute, where Stephanie is the CEO, is working to advance policies that give parents the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children. We explore the importance of school choice in fostering strong families, the principles of free markets, and limited government.

Episode Highlights:

  • How Stephanie champions school choice and its importance for Alabama families.
  • The Alabama Policy Institute’s dedication to promoting educational freedom.
  • Key legislation supporting school choice in Alabama.
  • The effects of school choice on Alabama’s education system.
  • How Stephanie’s political background shapes her approach to education reform.
  • Why school choice is vital for Alabama families.
  • The Choose Act
  • Ways to advocate for expanding educational options in Alabama.
  • The link between strong families and the freedom to choose the best education.
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Educational Freedom Update

by API NewsEducation Freedom




A 2023 report from the Alabama Policy Institute showed that the Alabama Education Association was the largest contributor to Republican state legislative candidates in the 2022-23 election cycle, spending $1,557,500 on Republican House and Senate campaigns. Since 2018, the Alabama Education Association has donated a total of $3,270,938 to Alabama Republicans—the most of any teachers union in the country.

The union has given at least $2.4 million to candidates for the Alabama House of Representatives, and $1.51 million to candidates for the Alabama State Senate in the last decade.

Republicans have a supermajority in the Alabama state Legislature, with 73 of the 105 seats in the Alabama House and 27 of the 35 seats in the Alabama Senate. According to an article from Alabama Today, only 18 Republican representatives and seven senators refused the teachers unions’ donations.

Becky Pringle, president of the NEA, prematurely claimed responsibility for the defeat of an expanded school choice bill in Alabama in an early January email to all NEA members, though a version of the bill since passed on Feb. 28. All six of the Republicans who voted with Democrats against the bill received between $5,000 and $25,000 in primary donations from the Alabama Education Association.



https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/03/04/report-teachers-unions-spend-millions-gop-primaries/

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School choice supporters gather at Alabama State House

by API NewsEducation FreedomGood GovernanceStrong Families

A crowd of school choice supporters rallied outside the Alabama State House on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to pass a school choice bill this session.

They want access to their tax dollars for education to use how they best see fit, whether that means using that money for private or church school or even homeschool.

They say they don’t want their children to be forced to attend a failing public school due to where they live.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth (R-Alabama) says he agrees.

“It’s time for Alabama to not be last in the nation on school choice. We want to be first in the nation. This bill’s going to do that and I’m excited that this session, Alabama will be one of the leaders, if not the leader, top leader of the nation on school choice,” he told the crowd.

Many other states have passed some version of school choice, though the details vary from state to state.