Last week we wrote about released time at Arkansas’ public schools.
Legally in America, public schools may set aside released time during the school week for students to voluntarily attend religious classes off-campus.
Released time makes it possible for students to be excused from school so they can attend Bible studies or other religious classes during normal school hours.
Released time programs have been in operation for over 100 years across the U.S.
The number of students participating in released time programs is growing rapidly as more people become aware of it and find new resources that help educate them on starting programs in their communities.
Released time programs are typically conducted throughout grades K-12, and they normally last 30 minutes to an hour one school day a week. Some programs break up that hour throughout the week. Scheduling is typically determined by the group and the school.
Volunteers in Gravette have taught the Bible to students for over 70 years in multiple ways, including released time conducted off-campus. In 2007 the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote about the program, saying, “The tiny building [where released time takes place], which has the word Logos etched above the door, sits on a 50-foot wide piece of private property wedged between Glen Duffy Elementary and Gravette Upper Elementary School.”
Other released time programs exist in Arkansas, either independently or through organizations like School Ministries or LifeWise who provide curricula to local groups.
School Ministries has been in operation since 1991 and has helped hundreds — if not thousands — of communities “start, sustain and grow Released Time Bible Education (RTBE) programs — the only legal means to teach the Bible both academically and devotionally in the time between the first and last bell.” Breaking ground in 2019, LifeWise has also assisted parents, pastors, and faith leaders in providing a “structured, plug-and-play” model which provides communities all the tools to launch and maintain an effective program while limiting administrative duties.” Both of these programs provide beneficial help for starting and maintaining a released time program.
H.B. 1139 by Rep. Brit McKenzie (R — Rogers) and Sen. Joshua Bryant (R — Rogers) would have written released time into Arkansas law and clarified how public schools may excuse students for released time during school hours. Unfortunately, the bill failed to pass this year, but schools in Arkansas are still free to offer released time to students under federal court rulings.
Family Council hopes to work with state and local policymakers in the future to promote released time programs and pass a measure writing released time into Arkansas law.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
