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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".