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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.
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SECTION 59-1-460. Excused school attendance for religious instruction.

(A) The school district board of trustees may adopt a policy that authorizes a student to be excused from school to attend a class in religious instruction conducted by a private entity if:
(1) the student's parent or guardian gives written consent;
(2) the sponsoring entity maintains attendance records and makes them available to the public school the student attends;
(3) transportation to and from the place of instruction, including transportation for students with disabilities, is the complete responsibility of the sponsoring entity, parent, or guardian;
(4) the sponsoring entity makes provisions for and assumes liability for the student who is excused; and
(5) no public funds are expended and no public school personnel are involved in providing the religious instruction.
(B) It is the responsibility of a participating student to make up any missed schoolwork. However, no student may be released from a core academic subject class to attend a religious instruction class. While in attendance in a religious instruction class pursuant to this section, a student is not considered to be absent from school.

HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 241, SECTION 2.

Notes

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MEMORANDUM

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.