Almost 3,000 families applied for education savings accounts with the Alabama Department of Revenue on Thursday, the first day that they could apply for ESAs under a new state law.

The CHOOSE Act allows parents to use up to $7,000 per child for private school tuition and other eligible education expenses, or $2,000 per child for home school (maximum $4,000 per family).

The CHOOSE Act, passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and a top priority for Gov. Kay Ivey, takes effect for the 2025-26 school year.

As of 5 p.m., the ADOR had received 2,811 applications for 4,807 students, according to Frank Miles, spokesman for the agency.

Parents can apply through April 7.

The first ESAs will be limited to specific groups of students. All students in the state will be eligible for ESAs at the start of the 2027-28 school year.

Also on Thursday, the ADOR appeared before the Legislature’s contract review committee to add $385,000 to a contract with ClassWallet, a Florida company, to implement and promote the CHOOSE Act. The total of the contract, which runs through September, is now $1.7 million.

Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, chairman of the contract review committee, commended the ADOR for making “great progress” in implementing the CHOOSE Act.

Parents can apply and read more information about the CHOOSE Act here.