This district allows release time for students from the regular school day for religious or other purposes. Participation in release time is voluntary on the part of the student. The conditions for release time are as follows:
1. At its discretion, this district may permit release time programs for kindergarten through grade eight (K-8).
2. Students in grades nine through twelve (9-12) may be excused from school for a period not exceeding five (5) class hours in each week or not exceeding one hundred sixty-five (165) hours during any one school year.
3. Students desiring to have release time must have a parental release form signed by a parent/guardian on file in the high school office. The release form will become a part of the student’s permanent record and must be received before a student will be permitted to leave school grounds during the school day to attend a release time program.
4. The board shall have reasonable discretion over the scheduling and time of the release time. Release time programs may not interfere with the scheduling of classes, activities, and programs in this district.
5. This district will maintain a record of each student’s daily schedule that indicates when a student is released for classes in religious education or for other purposes.
6. Participation in release time shall not reduce the minimum graduation requirements.
7. No credit shall be awarded by this district for completion of courses during release time for religious purposes.
8. At the discretion of the board, credit may be granted for release time activities that are not religious in nature. Factors which may be considered include, but are not limited to, the credentials of the instructor, the number of hours of instruction, and the availability of similar instruction in the public school.
9. No public school facilities, personnel or equipment may be utilized, nor will attendance records for the benefit of release classes for religious instruction be provided.
10. Registration for release time programs will not occur on school premises.
11. Release time program staff are not employees of this district and will not be asked to participate as faculty members in any school functions nor will they be asked to assume responsibilities for operation of any part of this district’s educational program.
12. This district is not liable for any injury, act, or event occurring while the student participates in a release time program.
13. This district will not be liable or responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of students while they are being transported to and from participating in release time programs.
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LEGAL REFERENCE:
Idaho Code Section 33-519
IDAPA 08.02.02.220
ADOPTED: April 20, 2011
AMENDED: