What a CHOOSE Act ESA buys in Birmingham
The $7,000 enrolled-student account and the $2,000 home-education account share one list of approved categories, with dollar limits on devices and a long list of exclusions. Each category below gives the 2026-27 rule and the local picture.
Last verified: October 2026
What can a CHOOSE Act ESA pay for besides tuition?
Textbooks, private tutoring, licensed educational therapies, curriculum and workbooks, approved computers and supplies, online courses, standardized tests and test prep, educational software, dual-enrollment courses and education-based programs at participating schools. Every purchase runs through ClassWallet; families are not reimbursed for receipts.
What happens to money that isn't spent?
It goes back to the CHOOSE Act Fund on June 30. A family whose tuition is under the account balance has until then to use the rest on approved categories.
At a participating school
Tuition & approved school fees
For a child enrolled at a participating school, tuition is what the $7,000 account was designed around, and the parent guide adds a long run of school fees it can also pay.
See the rules →At a participating schoolAfter-school & summer academic programs
Education-based after-school or summer programs run by a participating school are approved, but child care is not.
See the rules →Learning materials
Textbooks
Textbooks, including audiobooks, are approved in core subjects and in religion, which matters at the many faith-based schools around Birmingham.
See the rules →Learning materialsCurriculum, workbooks & supplemental reading
Full curricula, workbooks, flashcards and supplemental reading tied to approved subjects are all on the list.
See the rules →Learning materialsSchool supplies & instructional materials
Binders, calculators, art supplies, manipulatives and science kits are approved, with item caps on bigger pieces.
See the rules →Learning materialsOnline courses & online schools
Approved nonpublic online programs and educational subscriptions can be paid for the current academic year.
See the rules →Academic support
Private tutoring
Tutoring in approved subjects, in person or online, can be paid from either account, which makes it central to the $2,000 home-education budget.
See the rules →Academic supportTests, evaluations & test prep
College-admissions tests, AP exams and the preparation courses for them are approved, along with initial evaluation fees.
See the rules →Special needs
Technology
Computers & technology
Devices are approved, but each kind has a firm dollar limit and a replacement schedule.
See the rules →TechnologyEducational software & apps
Learning software and apps are approved, including assistive software for students with special needs.
See the rules →High school
Not covered
Approved vs excluded at a glance
| Approved | Excluded |
|---|---|
| Tuition and academic school fees | Uniform, athletic and field-trip fees |
| Tutors and licensed therapists | Child care and aftercare |
| One computer under $1,200 every two years | TVs, gaming items, SMARTboards, 3D printers |
| AP, ACT and other recognized tests | Transportation and food |
How does a purchase actually happen?
Marketplace
Approved items, including CHOOSE Act storefronts from big retailers, bought inside ClassWallet with the account balance.
Pay Vendor
Schools, tutors and therapists registered as ESPs send an invoice; the parent approves it and the provider is paid in 2 to 10 business days.
No reimbursement
Spending outside ClassWallet can't be paid back, and an invoice with one ineligible line is rejected whole.
Want help planning the account?
A counselor can map your child's balance to tuition and the categories that fit.