Data from the Arkansas Department of Education shows 264 public school students enrolled in courses to study the Bible academically this year.
In 2013 Arkansas passed Act 1440 by Rep. Denny Altes (R — Fort Smith) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch) to let public schools offer elective, academic courses that study “the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics.”
The law says the course must be objective and nonsectarian, and it must meet the same academic standards as other elective courses offered in public schools. Anyone wishing to teach the course must be licensed to teach in the State of Arkansas.
In 2019 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1016 by Rep. Joe Cloud (R — Russellville), Rep. Jim Dotson (R — Bentonville), and Sen. Bob Ballinger (R — Ozark). Act 1016 helped make technical clarifications to Act 1440 of 2013.
Over the past 12 years, different school districts in the state have chosen to offer academic courses on the Bible under this type of official state framework. Now data from the Arkansas Department of Education shows 264 public school students enrolled in elective, academic courses on the Bible at 18 schools this year.
The data indicates the number of students choosing to study the Bible academically at school has grown. Last year, 126 students studied the Bible at 10 different schools in Arkansas, and the year before that 125 students learned about the Bible at seven schools.
Below is a list of school districts offering courses on the Bible this school year.
| SCHOOL DISTRICT | COURSE | NUMBER OF STUDENTS |
| FOUNDERS CLASSICAL ACADEMIES OF ARKANSAS | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 1 |
| VALLEY SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 10 |
| GURDON SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 10 |
| MAGNOLIA SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 13 |
| NETTLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 19 |
| VAN BUREN SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 43 |
| FORDYCE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 4 |
| MARMADUKE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 10 |
| HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 1 |
| DIERKS SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 21 |
| LONOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 24 |
| DEER MT JUDEA SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 3 |
| EAST END SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 17 |
| ACADEMICS PLUS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 5 |
| PREMIER HIGH SCHOOLS OF ARKANSAS | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 1 |
| BRYANT SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 59 |
| SEARCY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 10 |
| SOUTH SIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Van Buren) | Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit) | 13 |
Courts have said the U.S. Constitution does not prevent public school students from being taught about the Bible and its significance throughout human history, provided that the instruction is neutral and educational.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1980 Stone v. Graham decision went so far as to say, “the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like.”
This year lawmakers passed S.B. 223, the Religious Rights at Public School Act by Sen. Mark Johnson (R — Little Rock) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs). This good law affirms public school students’ and teachers’ religious liberties.
The law does not create any new rights or freedoms, but it does identify existing religious freedoms that are already protected by state and federal law — such as the freedom to pray, discuss religion, or read the Bible during free time at school.
The law also highlights the freedom that schools have to offer academic courses on the Bible under Act 1440 of 2013.
S.B. 223 does not change any laws about the academic study of the Bible in Arkansas, but it does help draw attention to the fact that state law and U.S. Supreme Court rulings let public schools offer these elective courses. It passed with strong support in the Arkansas Senate and Arkansas House, and Gov. Sanders signed it into law last month as Act 400 of 2025.
It’s good to see Arkansas’ schools offering these academic courses on the Bible to students across the state. After all, no single book has been more influential over our civilization than the Bible.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
