Newark Public School District
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State Law

New Jersey is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map Newark, NJ 07102 Essex County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 30.0% (data source)
Non-White Students 93.7% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated January 18, 2026
New Jersey 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 (66)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
East Side High SchoolStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Abington Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
American History High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Ann Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Arts High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Avon Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Bard Early College High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Barringer High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Belmont Runyon Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Benjamin Franklin Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Bruce Street School For The DeafStep 0 No Progress 0
Camden Street Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Central High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Chancellor Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Cleveland Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Dr William H. Horton Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Dr. E. Alma Flagg SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Eagle Academy For Young Men Of NewarkStep 0 No Progress 0
Early Childhood School - CentralStep 0 No Progress 0
Early Childhood School - NorthStep 0 No Progress 0
Early Childhood School - SouthStep 0 No Progress 0
Early Childhood School - WestStep 0 No Progress 0
East Ward Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Elliott Street Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
First Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Fourteenth Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
George Washington Carver Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Harriet Tubman Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Hawkins Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Hawthorne Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Ivy Hill Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
John F. Kennedy SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Lafayette Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Lincoln Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Louise A. Spencer Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Luis Mu?Oz Marin Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Malcolm X Shabazz High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Mckinley Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Michelle Obama Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Mt Vernon Place SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Newark Evening Educational CenterStep 0 No Progress 0
Newark Sch of Data Science and Information TechnologyStep 0 No Progress 0
Newark School of Fashion & DesignStep 0 No Progress 0
Newark School of Global StudiesStep 0 No Progress 0
Newark Vocational High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
NJ Regional Day School - NewarkStep 0 No Progress 0
Oliver Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Park Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Peshine Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Quitman Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Rafael Hernandez SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Ridge Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Roberto Clemente Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Salome Ure?A Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Science Park High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Sir Isaac Newton Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
South Seventeenth Street SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
South Street Elementary SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Speedway Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Sussex Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Technology High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Thirteenth Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
University High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Weequahic High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
West Side High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Wilson Avenue SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
56 schools not shown
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
3
January 10, 2026
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
2
November 30, 2025
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
1
March 28, 2025
Step 0
No Progress
0
March 17, 2024
 
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