Measure expanding Alabama’s private school scholarship program advances state Senate

More students may become eligible to attend private K-12 schools with scholarships fueled by state tax credits in a measure that was approved by the Alabama Senate Tuesday.

The bill advanced as Republicans across the country have championed various forms of so-called "school choice" legislation, ranging from vouchers to scholarship programs, to provide public support for private school or other education options.

"This has been in place for ten years. We wanted to try to look for opportunities to expand it to make scholarships accessible to more students," Sen. Donnie Chesteen, the bill’s sponsor, told reporters after the vote.