Baltimore City Public Schools
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State Law

Maryland is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map Baltimore, MD 21202 Baltimore city
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 24.8% (data source)
Non-White Students 92.9% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated April 17, 2026
Maryland State Law

There is no state statute regulating released time for religious instruction, federal rulings still apply. "No-Statute" states function in theory the same way as "May-Law" states. School districts may create a policy allowing students to be released for religious study, or they may choose not to coordinate with released-time programs and require the students' legal guardians facilitate the process.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws

States with no statute for released time religious instruction are treated like "may" states. Released time programs would need to request approval from the local school board. School districts should not allow a released time program to operate in the district without a specific released time policy.

The federal case laws that mandate how released time functions should be followed. Zorach vs Clauson states:

School districts in states without a statute mandating a released time policy can choose not to allow released time or to coordinate with religious organizations seeking to remove students from school during the school day.

School districts should always have a policy indicating whether they coordinate with released-time religious instruction programs. Not having a policy at all and leaving it up to the released time program should never be the operating standard. This will open the district up to misinterpretation of its intent.

It is suggested that parents approach the school board and request that a released time religious instruction policy be implemented, even before a religious program approaches the district.

This does not encompass all legal requirements, and other legal opinions may exist. Please use this as a guide only.

What Can My School District Do?

All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.

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Schools in the District (157)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
Abbottston ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 15
Academy For College And Career ExplorationStep 1 No Progress 15
Achievement Academy at Harbor City HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Afya Public Charter School No Progress
Alexander Hamilton ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Arlington ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Armistead Gardens Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Arundel ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Augusta Fells Savage Institute Of Visual ArtsStep 1 No Progress 15
Baltimore City College No Progress
Baltimore Collegiate School For Boys No Progress
Baltimore Design SchoolStep 1 No Progress 15
Baltimore International Academy No Progress
Baltimore International Academy West No Progress
Baltimore Leadership School For Young Women No Progress
Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School No Progress
Baltimore Polytechnic InstituteStep 1 No Progress 15
Baltimore School For The ArtsStep 1 No Progress 15
Barclay Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Bard High School Early CollegeStep 1 No Progress 15
Bay-Brook Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Beechfield Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Belmont ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Benjamin Franklin High School At Masonville CoveStep 1 No Progress 15
Bluford Drew Jemison Stem Academy WestStep 1 No Progress 15
Booker T. Washington MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Callaway ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Calverton Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Calvin M. Rodwell Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Carver Vocational-Technical High No Progress
Cecil ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Charles Carroll Barrister ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
City Neighbors Charter School No Progress
City Neighbors Hamilton No Progress
City Neighbors High No Progress
City Springs Elementary-Middle No Progress
Claremont SchoolStep 1 No Progress 15
Clay Hill Public Charter School No Progress
Collington Square Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Commodore John Rodgers Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Connexions: A Community Based Arts School No Progress
Coppin Academy No Progress
Creative City Public Charter School No Progress
Cross Country Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Curtis Bay ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Dallas F. Nicholas Sr. ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Dickey Hill Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Digital Harbor High SchoolStep 1 No Progress 15
Dorothy I. Height ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Dr. Bernard Harris Sr. ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Dr. Nathan A. Pitts-Ashburton Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Eager Street AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Edgecombe Circle ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Edgewood ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Edmondson-Westside HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins PartnershipStep 1 No Progress 15
Empowerment Academy No Progress
Eutaw-Marshburn ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Fallstaff Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Federal Hill Preparatory AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Forest Park HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Fort Worthington Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Francis Scott Key Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Franklin Square Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Frederick Douglass HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Frederick Elementary No Progress
Furley ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Furman Templeton Preparatory Academy No Progress
Gardenville ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Garrett Heights Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
George W. F. McMechen HighStep 1 No Progress 15
George Washington ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Glenmount Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Govans Elementary No Progress
Graceland Park-O'donnell Heights Elementary/MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Green Street Academy No Progress
Guilford Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Gwynns Falls ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Hamilton Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Hampden Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Hampstead Hill Academy No Progress
Harford Heights ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Harlem Park Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Hazelwood Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Highlandtown Elementary-Middle #215Step 1 No Progress 15
Highlandtown Elementary-Middle #237Step 1 No Progress 15
Hilton ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Holabird AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Independence School Local IStep 1 No Progress 15
James Mchenry Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
James Mosher ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
John Ruhrah Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Johnston Square ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Joseph C. Briscoe AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Kipp Harmony Academy No Progress
Lakeland Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Lakewood ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Leith Walk Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Liberty ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Lillie May Carroll Jackson School No Progress
Lockerman Bundy ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Lois T. Murray Elementary/MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Maree Garnett Farring Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Margaret Brent Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Mary Ann Winterling Elementary At BentalouStep 1 No Progress 15
Mary E. Rodman ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Matthew A. Henson ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Medfield Heights ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High No Progress
Midtown Academy No Progress
Montebello Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Morrell Park Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Mount Royal Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
National Academy FoundationStep 1 No Progress 15
New Era AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
New Song Academy No Progress
North Bend Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Northwood ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Patterson HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Patterson Park Public Charter School No Progress
Paul Laurence Dunbar HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Pimlico Elementary-Middle No Progress
Reginald F. Lewis HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Renaissance AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Robert W. Coleman ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Roland Park Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Rosemont Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Sandtown-Winchester Achievement AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Sharp-Leadenhall Elementary/MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Sinclair Lane ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Southwest Baltimore Charter School No Progress
Stadium SchoolStep 1 No Progress 15
Steuart Hill Academic AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Tench Tilghman Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
The Belair-Edison School No Progress
The Crossroads School No Progress
The Historic Cherry Hill Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
The Historic Samuel Coleridge-Taylor ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
The Mount Washington SchoolStep 1 No Progress 15
The Reach! Partnership SchoolStep 1 No Progress 15
Thomas Jefferson Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Thomas Johnson Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Tunbridge Public Charter School No Progress
Vanguard Collegiate MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Violetville Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Walter P. Carter Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Waverly Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Western HighStep 1 No Progress 15
Westport AcademyStep 1 No Progress 15
Wildwood Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
William Paca ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
Windsor Hills Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Wolfe Street Academy No Progress
Woodhome Elementary-MiddleStep 1 No Progress 15
Yorkwood ElementaryStep 1 No Progress 15
147 schools not shown
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
18
April 17, 2026
 
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