Savannah-Chatham County
Step 6 of 10
Obtain School Approval (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

169

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

Georgia is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map Savannah, GA 31401 Chatham County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 20.4% (data source)
Non-White Students 80.6% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated April 16, 2026
Georgia 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 (60)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
Bloomingdale Elementary SchoolStep 6 Obtain School Approval 111
Beach High SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Coastal Middle SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Georgetown SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Gould Elementary SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Jenkins High SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Southwest Elementary SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
West Chatham Elementary SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
West Chatham Middle SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Windsor Forest Elementary SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 111
Woodville-Tompkins Technical And Career High SchoolStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 169
Andrea B Williams Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Butler Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School No Progress
Derenne Middle SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Ellis Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Esther F. Garrison School For The ArtsStep 6 No Progress 111
Gadsden Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Garden City Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Godley Station SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Groves High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Haven Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Heard Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Henderson E Formey Jr Early Learning CenterStep 6 No Progress 111
Hesse SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Hodge Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Howard Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Hubert Middle SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Islands High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Isle Of Hope SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Jacob G. Smith Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Johnson High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Largo-Tibet Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Marshpoint Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Mercer Middle SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Myers Middle SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
New Hampstead High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
New Hampstead K-8 SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Oglethorpe Charter School No Progress
Otis J Brock Iii Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Pooler Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Port Wentworth Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Pulaski Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Rice Creek SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Savannah Arts AcademyStep 6 No Progress 111
Savannah Classical Academy Charter High School No Progress
Savannah Classical Academy Charter School No Progress
Savannah Early College High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Savannah-Chatham E-Learning AcademyStep 6 No Progress 111
School Of Humanities At Juliette Gordon LowStep 6 No Progress 111
Shuman Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Southwest Middle SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Susie King Taylor Community School No Progress
Susie King Taylor Community School Middle Grades Academy foStep 6 No Progress 111
The School Of Liberal Studies At Savannah HighStep 6 No Progress 111
The Stem Academy At BartlettStep 6 No Progress 111
Tybee Island Maritime Academy School No Progress
Uhs Of Savannah Coastal Harbor Treatment Center No Progress
White Bluff Elementary SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
Windsor Forest High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 111
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
169
April 16, 2026
 
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