HB1139
To Create The Released Time Education Act.
Last Action (May 5, 2025): Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
House Bill 1139, titled the 'Released Time Education Act,' establishes a framework for Arkansas public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools to allow students to participate in religious moral instruction during school hours. Under this act, schools are required to excuse students from class to attend a 'released time course' if a request is made by a parent, legal guardian, or person standing in loco parentis. The bill stipulates that the course must be provided by an independent entity outside of the school system. Participating students may be excused for a duration of at least one hour but no more than five hours per week. The legislation formalizes the process for integrating these outside religious educational programs into the students' weekly schedules.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries are students whose parents or guardians wish for them to receive religious moral instruction during the school day, as well as the independent religious organizations that provide these educational courses. Parents who prioritize religious education are also direct beneficiaries, as they gain a legal mechanism to ensure their children can attend these programs without incurring school absences that might otherwise be penalized.
Who Might Suffer?
Public school districts and charter schools may be negatively impacted by the administrative burden of coordinating student attendance and tracking participation in outside programs. Furthermore, students who remain in the classroom may face potential disruptions to instructional continuity or the pacing of the curriculum if a significant number of their peers are frequently absent to attend released time courses.
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