TL;DR: Alabama's Department of Revenue updated its CHOOSE Act participating-school list on October 23, 2026. Matched against the federal private school survey, 66 of the 102 private schools we can document in Jefferson and Shelby counties are on it, including every Catholic school, but only 2 of 21 preschool-only programs and none of the three schools in Trussville and Leeds.
How many Birmingham-area private schools can take CHOOSE Act money?
66 of the 102 schools in our directory appear on the state list. That number matters because a CHOOSE Act education savings account can pay tuition only at a school on ALDOR's participating list; anywhere else, the $7,000 cannot go to tuition at all.
The 102 come from two sources. The NCES Private School Survey has 83 records for the two counties; three are duplicate filings (Holy Family Cristo Rey filed twice, Red Mountain Community School appears under a short and a long name, and Cornerstone Schools of Alabama appears again as Cornerstone High School with identical enrollment), which leaves 80. Of those, 44 match a name on the state list. The other 22 schools on the list for our counties are not in the federal survey at all, often because they are new, small or online. Four of those 22 are WonderED online programs, and others include Indian Springs School, The Westminster School at Oak Mountain and St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School in Montevallo.
Which kinds of schools are on the list, and which aren't?
Catholic schools are fully covered: all 10 in our directory are participating schools, which fits the Diocese of Birmingham's statement that every diocesan school is approved. Christian schools are split, with 26 of 54 on the list. Preschool-only programs are mostly absent (2 of 21), which makes sense because the CHOOSE Act starts at K5.
| Group | Schools in directory | On the CHOOSE Act list |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 10 | 10 |
| Christian (all denominations) | 54 | 26 |
| Montessori and Waldorf | 8 | 7 |
| Teaching through grade 12 | 30 | 23 |
| Preschool-only programs | 21 | 2 |
| Federal-survey schools teaching grade 1 or higher | 59 | 42 |
Measured by students rather than schools, the list covers most of the market. The federal survey reports 10,511 students across the 80 federal records, and 7,950 of them attend a school that is on the list.
Where in the metro are the participating schools?
Coverage is strongest Over the Mountain and on the west side. Seven of eight schools in Homewood, Mountain Brook and Crestline are on the list, as are all six in West End, Ensley and Midfield. Shelby County beyond the 280 corridor has 8 of 13, and Bessemer, Hueytown, Fairfield and McCalla have 7 of 12. Roebuck and Center Point have 2 of 5, and Trussville and Leeds have none of their three, two of which are weekday preschool programs. Each community page shows the full split.
Why would a school not be on the list?
The most common reason is accreditation. The CHOOSE Act defines a participating private school as one that is accredited, or in the process of accreditation, with a body the law names: a regional accreditor, the National Council for Private School Accreditation, Cognia, the American Association of Christian Schools, the Alabama Christian Education Association, the Alabama Independent School Association, or one of their partners. A school also has to apply and be approved by ALDOR.
Some absences are notable. The Altamont School, with 379 students in the federal survey and a National Association of Independent Schools membership, was not on the October 23 list. Neither was Essential Church School, which reports 1,185 students. We cannot tell from public records whether a school chose not to apply, is waiting on approval, or does not meet the accreditation test, so the fair reading is simply "not on the list as of this date."
What the list is, and what it is not
The participating list is the state's answer to one question: can an ESA pay tuition here? It is not a quality rating, it does not tell you tuition or open seats, and it does not mean a child will be awarded an ESA. Association memberships in the federal survey, such as ACSI or NCEA, are also different from accreditation; ALDOR decides accreditation for CHOOSE Act purposes. Before you plan around a school, check its CHOOSE Act status and ask which of its fees are on the approved list.
What should a parent do with this list before January?
Use it to sort your shortlist into two piles. Schools on the list can be paid from a $7,000 ESA as soon as your child is awarded one, so the conversation with them is about the balance: tuition minus $7,000, plus the fees the program excludes, such as uniforms, athletics and field trips. Schools not on the list need a different question first: have you applied to ALDOR, and when do you expect a decision? ALDOR takes applications from schools year-round and says it responds within 14 days, so a school that is accredited but not yet listed may be approved well before the 2027-28 school year.
Then check the list again in January. ALDOR revises it during the year, and the version that matters is the one in force when your child's ESA is funded and the school invoices through ClassWallet.
Frequently asked questions
How many Birmingham-area private schools can take CHOOSE Act money?
66 of the 102 private schools we can document in Jefferson and Shelby counties are on ALDOR's participating list dated October 23, 2026.
Which kinds of schools are on the list, and which aren't?
All 10 Catholic schools are on it, 26 of 54 Christian schools are, and only 2 of 21 preschool-only programs are.
Where in the metro are the participating schools?
Coverage is highest in Homewood, Mountain Brook and Crestline (7 of 8) and West End, Ensley and Midfield (6 of 6), and lowest in Trussville and Leeds (0 of 3).
Why would a school not be on the list?
Usually accreditation: a participating private school must be accredited or in process with a body named in the CHOOSE Act and approved by ALDOR.
What should a parent do with this list before January?
Ask listed schools what you would owe after $7,000 and the excluded fees, ask unlisted schools whether they have applied to ALDOR, and recheck the list in January.
Related questions
- Which Catholic schools are in Jefferson and Shelby counties?
- Why isn't my church's school on the list?
- How does a school get onto the list?
- Which school fees can the ESA pay?
Sources
- ALDOR, CHOOSE Act Alabama Participating Schools (list dated 10/23/26)
- NCES Private School Survey, 2023-24
- CHOOSE Act, Act 2024-21 (HB129)
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