Bill > HB1393

This bill establishes the Missouri Released Time Education Act, which requires school districts to develop policies allowing students to be excused from school for up to five hours per week to attend religious instruction courses (called "released time courses"). The bill specifies several key requirements for these courses, including that parents must provide written consent, the sponsoring entity must maintain attendance records, transportation and liability are the responsibility of the sponsoring entity, and no school district funds can be used except for minimal administrative costs. The bill mandates that school districts must create a policy to excuse students for these courses and that the time spent in released time courses will count toward school attendance and state aid calculations. Additionally, school districts must adopt a policy to potentially award academic credit for these courses, evaluating them using neutral, secular criteria such as instructional hours, course syllabus, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications. The bill ensures that students can access these courses without discrimination and provides a mechanism for legal action if school districts fail to comply with the provisions. Importantly, the bill emphasizes that the released time courses cannot be held on school property unless under a neutral access policy, and students remain responsible for any missed schoolwork.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1393&year=2025&code=R