Indiana updated its education law in 2024 with House Bill 1137, allowing public school students to leave campus during the school day for religious instruction. The program is known as “released time” and requires parental permission.
Floyd County has been slowly expanding this program, starting at Greenville Elementary, to test the boundaries of public schools.
“It feels like a weird religious separation,” senior Pixel Phieler said. “Even though it’s a public school and people can have different religions…It feels pointless.”
Under the law, students may receive up to 120 minutes per week of religious instruction. For high school students, this can equal the time of one elective class. Participation is completely voluntary.
“It doesn’t mean they’re actually going to go study the Bible,” Phieler said. “If you’re letting kids go off on their own, you’re gonna get a bunch of kids that are gonna skip.”
The law requires the religious instruction to take place off school property. Classes are usually held in churches or community centers, not in public school buildings. No public funds may be used for these programs.
Schools cannot pay for transportation, teachers, or materials. All costs are covered by parents or private religious organizations. Parents must request release time for their children. School principals then help arrange a time for students to leave class and return without disrupting required coursework.
“It’s ignorant,” Phieler said. “If a kid actually wanted to study [the Bible] but they couldn’t afford it, then they are losing out. It’s a lose, lose situation.”
Programs such as LifeWise Academy operate under this law. These organizations provide Bible-based lessons that focus on faith and character education.
The released time practice is allowed under a 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Zorach v. Clauson, which ruled that off-campus religious instruction during the school day is constitutional if it is privately funded.
”This country is founded on freedom of religion. Schools often enforce the First Amendment,” senior Ela Kays said. “A bill that requires only private funding…I feel like the state should fund [religious instruction time]. It makes them stand out.”
“Supporters of the law say it gives families more choice in their children’s education,” Kays said. “Critics argue it raises concerns about church and state separation, even though the instruction happens off campus.”
”I support the bill; everyone should have religious instruction time,” Kays said. “I feel like it’s an opportunity that allows people the chance to do that. I am worried about the instruction time loss, but religious instruction time can be that loss of time for those specific students.”
As schools adjust to the law, districts are expected to follow strict rules to ensure participation remains voluntary and publicly funded education stays separate from religious instruction.
More and more support for this bill has come up recently. On January 9, 2026, Indiana legislators drafted House Bill1232 that would require every public school to teach the Bible as literature.
“The other one allowed students and allowed them to have their own interests and religion, it’s not implying everyone has to do it,” Kays said. “This new bill, it’s not an option. If the bible is taught in school, it’s not giving them a choice; not everyone has the same religion. It’s against the Constitution and the foundation of our nation.”
