HB1139
To Create The Released Time Education Act.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill proposes the creation of the "Released Time Education Act" in Arkansas. The act defines a "released time course" as instruction in "religious moral instruction" provided by an independent entity. Public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools would be required to excuse students to attend these courses. Such absences would be permissible upon request from a parent, legal guardian, or person acting in loco parentis. Students would be excused for a minimum of one hour and a maximum of five hours per week. The purpose of this act is to allow students to participate in religious or moral education outside of the regular school curriculum. This would be facilitated by allowing students to be absent from school for a designated period to attend these classes.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill would be students enrolled in public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools who wish to participate in religious or moral instruction outside of the regular school day. Additionally, the independent entities that provide these "released time courses" would benefit from increased student participation facilitated by the school's cooperation. Parents or legal guardians who wish for their children to receive this type of instruction would also benefit, as the bill formalizes the process for excusing students.
Who Might Suffer?
The primary entities that could be negatively impacted by this bill are public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools. These institutions would be obligated to excuse students from instructional time, potentially leading to disruptions in class schedules and curriculum delivery. The students themselves, if they do not participate in released time courses, could potentially fall behind in their regular academic studies due to the time missed from school. Furthermore, the administrative burden on schools to manage these excused absences could also be a negative impact.