4

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

Full Law Text Link to State Law

220. RELEASE TIME PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Public elementary and secondary school programs that permit the practice of releasing students from school for the
purpose of attending classes in religious education or for other purposes must develop policies that include the
following: (4-6-23)

01. Scheduling. The local school board will have reasonable discretion over the scheduling and timing
of the release program. Release time programs may not interfere with the scheduling of classes, activities and
programs of the public schools. (3-15-22)

02. Voluntary Decision. The decision of a school district to permit release time programs for
kindergarten through grade eight (K-8), as well as the decision of individual students to participate, must be purely
voluntary. (3-15-22)

03. Time Limit. Release time will be scheduled upon the application of a parent or guardian of a
student in grades nine through twelve (9-12), not to exceed five (5) periods per week or one hundred sixty-five (165)
hours during any one (1) academic school year. Students with a graduation plan that allows the student to meet the
minimum state graduation requirements and graduate within four (4) years may be granted additional release time at
the discretion of the local education agency. (4-6-23)

04. Location. Release time programs will be conducted away from public school buildings and public
school property. (3-15-22)

05. Request by Parent. No student will be permitted to leave the school grounds during the school day
to attend release time programs except upon written request from a parent or guardian filed with the school principal.
Such written request by the parent will become a part of the student’s permanent record. (3-15-22)

06. Record Maintenance. The public school will not be responsible for maintaining attendance
records for a student who, upon written request of a parent or guardian, is given permission to leave the school
grounds to attend a release time program. The school district will maintain a record of each student’s daily schedule
that indicates when a student is released for classes in religious education or for other purposes. (3-15-22)

07. Liability. The school district is responsible for ensuring that no public school property, public
funds or other public resources are used in any way to operate these programs. The school district is not liable for any
injury, act or event occurring while the student participates in such programs. (3-15-22)

08. Course Credit. No credit will be awarded by the school or district for satisfactory completion by a
student of a course or courses in release time for religious instruction. Credit may be granted for other purposes, at the
discretion of the local school board. (3-15-22)

09. Separation From Public Schools. Public schools will not include schedules of classes for release
time programs in school catalogs, registration forms or any other regularly printed public school material.
Registration for release time programs must occur off school premises, and must be done on forms and supplies
furnished by the group or institution offering the program. Teachers of release time programs are not to be considered
members of any public school faculty and should not be asked to participate as faculty members in any school
functions or to assume responsibilities for operation of any part of the public school program. (3-15-22)

10. Transportation Liability. Public schools and school districts will not be liable or responsible for
the health, safety and welfare of students while they are being transported to and from or participating in release time
programs. (3-15-22)

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.