Bill > SB1165

This bill requires school districts in Missouri to establish a policy allowing students to be excused from school to attend religious or moral instruction off school property, known as a "released time course". Under the proposed policy, students can be excused for up to three class periods per week or 125 class periods per school year, but only with parental consent and several specific conditions. These conditions include: no school district funds or personnel can be used to provide the instruction, the independent entity must maintain attendance records, transportation is the responsibility of the entity or parents, the entity must provide liability indemnification, and students must take responsibility for missed schoolwork. Students cannot be excused during core academic classes like English, math, science, or U.S. history. The bill also stipulates that students attending these courses will be considered present for attendance purposes, and school districts may award elective course credit based on a neutral, secular evaluation of the course's characteristics such as instruction time, syllabus, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications. Notably, the bill explicitly does not apply to charter schools or virtual schools. The goal appears to be providing a structured framework for students to receive religious or moral instruction while maintaining clear boundaries between such instruction and public school operations.

Education

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=387