We are Home
U.S.

Off-site Religious Instruction Programs Expand

Parents can opt students into one-hour off-campus Bible classes during the school day.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Homeschooling

Gouache-painted illustration of a student silhouette walking toward a community building, evoking quiet after-school or supplemental educational programs.
Bible2School is expanding its off-site religious instruction model, allowing students to participate in Bible classes during school hours with parental consent. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local public schools allow students to leave campus for weekly religious instruction?

Bible2School is highlighting its release-time religious instruction model as CEO Kori Pennypacker releases her new book, Backpack Faith. The program allows public school students to attend off-site Bible classes during the school day with parental permission.

Why it matters

The program seeks to provide families with access to religious education, reporting that over half of participating children had no church home last year. It functions under long-standing legal precedents regarding the separation of off-campus instruction and public education.

Last year, 54% of children in the Bible2School program had no church home, and 22% of their families began attending church after participating. Classes run for one hour and must be held off school grounds without the use of public tax dollars.

The players

Kori Pennypacker

The CEO of Bible2School who has spent 15 years in public school ministry.

Bible2School

An organization that has spent 45 years providing religious instruction to students.

U.S. Supreme Court

The highest federal court that established the legal framework for off-campus religious programs.

The details

Under this model, students leave school grounds for religious instruction with express permission from their parents. Because the instruction occurs off-site and avoids public funding, it aligns with legal standards established by the U.S. Supreme Court. The program does not replace standard curriculum but functions as an elective supplement for interested families.

Timeline

  1. 1914: Release-time instruction began in Gary, Indiana.

  2. 1948: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down on-campus religious classes.

  3. 1952: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld off-campus religious programs.

  4. last year: Data was collected on student church attendance.

The Home Front

This program operates within the established boundaries of the 1952 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows for off-campus religious instruction. It follows a century-long tradition of community-based religious education programs that began in Gary, Indiana.

Families interested in this program should confirm if their local school district recognizes release-time instruction policies. Parents must provide formal permission for their child to leave school grounds to attend these off-site classes.

The takeaway

The program provides a voluntary religious education option for public school families that operates during the school day. Interested parents can research whether their specific school district allows for off-site release-time instruction by contacting local administration.

Further reading

Learn more about the landscape of extracurricular learning in United States Homeschooling.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Christian Post.

Live Poll

Should local public schools allow students to leave campus for weekly religious instruction?