public schools; released time courses

Plain English Breakdown

The summary does not specify the exact conditions under which a private cause of action can be initiated.

Arizona Released Time Education Act

The bill requires public schools to allow students to attend religious courses during regular school hours if certain conditions are met and provides legal protections for those who face violations of these requirements.

What This Bill Does

• Requires school districts and charter schools to let students take part in released time courses (religious classes) during regular school hours, provided specific rules are followed.
• Schools must receive written permission from parents before allowing a student to attend a religious course.
• The provider of the religious course must keep track of attendance and ensure safety for participating students.
• Students who miss class due to attending a released time course must make up any missed schoolwork.
• School districts or charter schools are not allowed to pay for these courses or let them happen on school property.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public school students and their parents
• Charter schools and school district governing boards

Terms To Know

released time course

A religious class that takes place during regular school hours.

private cause of action

The right for individuals to sue a school district or charter school if they violate the rules about released time courses.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how schools should handle students who miss classwork due to attending religious courses.
• It is unclear what happens if a provider of a released time course does not meet all requirements set by the bill.
• The bill does not provide details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance.

Official Summary Text

SB1741 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

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ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1741

public schools; released
time courses

Purpose

Requires a school district governing board (governing board) and a
charter school governing body (governing body) to allow students to attend a
released time course during regular school hours if specified requirements are
met. Grants a private cause of action to any person who is adversely affected
by a violation of the released time course requirements against the school
district or charter school. Designates this legislation as the
Arizona
Released Time Education Act
.

Background

Arizona's Parents� Bill of Rights reserves parental rights to a parent of
a minor child without interference from the state, a political subdivision or
other governmental entity or any other institution. Outlined rights include: 1)
directing the child's education, upbringing and moral or religious training; 2)
making health care decisions for the child; and 3) accessing and reviewing all
records, including medical records, unless otherwise prohibited. A parent may
bring suit against a government entity for any action that interferes with or
usurps the fundamental rights of parents. Statute declares that parents have
inalienable rights that are more comprehensive than those listed in the
Parents' Bill of Rights, unless legally waived or terminated (A.R.S. ��
1-601

and
1-602
).

Each governing board and the governing body must adopt a policy governing
the excuse of students for religious purposes. The policy may permit a student
to be excused from school attendance for religious purposes, including
participation in religious exercises or religious instruction. If the policy
permits a student to be excused for religious purposes, the policy must
stipulate the conditions under which the excuse will be granted, including
conditions that: 1) the person who has custody of the student has given written
consent; and 2) any religious instruction or exercise takes place at a suitable
place away from school property designated by the church or religious
denomination or group. A public educational institution may not discriminate
against students or parents on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious
expression. Students in public educational institutions may pray or engage in
religious activities or religious expression before, during or after the school
day in the same manner and to the same extent that students may engage in
nonreligious activities or expression (A.R.S. ��
15-110

and
15-806
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact
to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires
each governing board and governing body to allow students to attend a released
time course during the regular school hours if:

a)

the school receives written consent from the parent of each
participating student;

b)

the released time course provider:

i.

records the attendance of each participating student and provides copies
of the attendance records to the charter school or school district;

ii.

assumes
all legal responsibility for each participating student while the student is
under the provider's control;

iii.

provides
religious instruction to participating students for at least one hour but not
more than five hours a week; and

iv.

demonstrates
that the released time course instructor has similar qualifications as
instructors who are employed by the charter school or school district;

c)

any
necessary transportation services relating to a released time course are
provided by the released time course provider, participating students or the
parents of participating students; and

d)

each
participating student is responsible for completing any schoolwork that the
student misses because the student attends a released time course.

2.

Requires
each school district and charter school that allows students to attend a
released time course to:

a)

award academic credit to each student who successfully completes the
released time course; and

b)

count any time that a student spends participating in a released time
course during regular school hours as instructional time and instructional
hours to meet the prescribed instructional time and hour requirements and to
determine average daily membership and attendance.

3.

Requires
each school district and charter school to determine how much credit to award
for the released time course by using only secular criteria that are
substantially the same as the criteria that the charter school or district
school uses to evaluate similar courses, including:

a)

the number of hours of classroom instructional time;

b)

the course requirements and instructional materials that are used for
the released time course according to the syllabus; or

c)

student assessments that are conducted by the released time course
provider.

4.

Prohibits
a school district or charter school from:

a)

incurring expenses to provide a released time course; and

b)

allowing a released time course to be provided on school property.

5.

Prohibits
a school district or charter school from denying any released time course
provider equal access to monies, benefits or services that the charter school
or school district provides to other community groups or independent entities.

6.

Grants
a private cause of action to any person who is adversely affected by a
violation of the released time course requirements against the school district
or charter school for injunctive relief, monetary damages, reasonable court
costs, reasonable attorney fees and any other relief available under law.

7.

Designates
this legislation as the
Arizona Released Time Education Act
.

8.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 16, 2026

MH/KP/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1741 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

public schools;
released time courses

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1741

AN
ACT

amending title 15, chapter 1, article 8,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-189.08; amending title 15,
chapter 3, article 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-341.02;
relating to public schools.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 8,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-189.08, to read:

START_STATUTE
15-189.08.

Released time courses; requirements; private cause of action

A. Each charter school governing body
shall allow students to attend a released time course during regular school
hours if all of the following requirements are met:

1. The school receives written
consent from the parent of each participating student.

2. The provider of the released time
course does all of the following:

(
a
) Records the
attendance of each participating student and provides copies of the attendance
records to the charter school.

(
b
) Assumes all
legal responsibility for each participating student while the student is under
the provider's control.

(
c
) Provides
religious instruction to participating students for at least one hour but not
more than five hours per week.

(
d
) Demonstrates
that the instructor of the released time course has similar qualifications as
instructors who are employed by the charter school.

3. Any necessary transportation
services relating to a released time course are provided by the released time
course provider, participating students or the parents of participating
students.

4. Each participating student is
responsible for completing any schoolwork that the student misses because the
student attends a released time course.

B. Each charter school that allows
students to attend a released time course pursuant to subsection A of this
section shall:

1. Award academic credit to each
student who successfully completes the released time course. The
charter school shall determine how much credit to award for the released time
course by using only secular criteria that are substantially the same as the
criteria that the charter school uses to evaluate similar courses, including
any of the following:

(
a
) The number
of hours of classroom instructional time.

(
b
) The course
requirements and instructional materials that are used for the released time
course according to the syllabus.

(
c
) Student
assessments that are conducted by the released time course provider.

2. Count any time that a student
spends participating in a released time course during regular school hours as
instructional time and instructional hours to meet the requirements prescribed
in sections 15-797, 15-808 and 15-901 and to determine
average daily membership and daily attendance.

C. A
charter school may not:

1. Incur expenses to provide a
released time course.

2. Allow a released time course to be
provided on school property.

D. Notwithstanding subsection C of
this section, A charter school may not deny any released time course provider
equal access to monies, benefits or services that the charter school provides
to other community groups or independent entities.

E. Any person who is adversely
affected by a violation of this section has a private cause of action for
injunctive relief, monetary damages, reasonable court costs, reasonable
attorney fees and any other relief available under law against the charter
school.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Title 15, chapter 3, article 3, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-341.02, to read:

START_STATUTE
15-341.02.

Released time courses; requirements; private cause of action

A. Each school district governing
board shall allow students to attend a released time course during regular
school hours if all of the following requirements are met:

1. The school receives written
consent from the parent of each participating student.

2. The provider of the released time
course does all of the following:

(
a
) Records the
attendance of each participating student and provides copies of the attendance
records to the school district.

(
b
) Assumes all
legal responsibility for each participating student while the student is under
the provider's control.

(
c
) Provides
religious instruction to participating students for at least one hour but not
more than five hours per week.

(
d
) Demonstrates
that the instructor of the released time course has similar qualifications as
teachers who are employed by the school district.

3. Any necessary transportation
services relating to a released time course are provided by the released time
course provider, participating students or the parents of participating
students.

4. Each participating student is
responsible for completing any schoolwork that the student misses because the
student attends a released time course.

B. Each school district that allows
students to attend a released time course pursuant to subsection A of this
section shall:

1. Award academic credit to each
student who successfully completes the released time course. The
school district shall determine how much credit to award for the released time
course by using only secular criteria that are substantially the same as the
criteria that the school district uses to evaluate similar courses, including
any of the following:

(
a
) The number
of hours of classroom instructional time.

(
b
) The course
requirements and instructional materials that are used for the released time
course according to the syllabus.

(
c
) Student
assessments that are conducted by the released time course provider.

2. Count any time that a student
spends participating in a released time course during regular school hours as
instructional time and instructional hours to meet the requirements prescribed
in sections 15-797, 15-808 and 15-901 and to determine
average daily membership and daily attendance.

C. A school district may not:

1. Incur expenses to provide a
released time course.

2. Allow a released time course to be
provided on school property.

D. Notwithstanding subsection C of
this section, A school district may not deny any released time course provider
equal access to monies, benefits or services that the school district provides
to other community groups or independent entities.

E. Any person who is adversely
affected by a violation of this section has a private cause of action for
injunctive relief, monetary damages, reasonable court costs, reasonable
attorney fees and any other relief available under law against the school
district.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 3.
Short title

This act may be cited as the
"Arizona Released Time Education Act".