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Board approves new released‑time policy after heated logistics and safety questions
Summary
The board approved a new released‑time policy (I36) that allows parents to authorize third‑party instruction during school hours; board members raised safety, liability and scheduling concerns but staff said state law constrains vetting and implementation.
At the July 13 meeting the board considered a package of policy revisions that included I36, a new released‑time policy authorizing outside instruction when parents elect to release students from school during the instructional day.
Policy presenter (Speaker 4) said the district worked with OSSBA attorneys to align the policy with state law and noted it copies statutory language in places. Several board members voiced safety and liability concerns about releasing students to third parties. "This is a safety issue for us releasing the students to a random 3rd party that, like, I would feel much better if we would release to the parent," a board member said, adding that PowerSchool will record authorized individuals but the district will not vet program staff (Board member, Speaker 6).
Staff told the board those parents must list the individual who will pick up a child in PowerSchool and that the district's hands are limited by the state law: "If I'm a parent and I want my student to be released to participate in their instruction, I'm going to have to come to the school and add... the individual who's picking my child up," a district presenter said (Policy presenter, Speaker 11). The board also noted that released time for high school students could carry elective credit and that curriculum review would be required for credit‑bearing offerings.
Despite concerns, the board approved I36 along with the broader policy package after discussion and a vote. The board directed staff to meet with a national organization that plans local programming and to make expectations clear to parents and sites about scheduling, attendance tracking and limits on how many class periods a student may miss for released time.
What's next: staff will meet with the outside group (staff meeting scheduled) and refine school‑level logistics; the board approved the policy but asked staff to monitor implementation and report issues.
