Creating WV Released Time Education Act

SB 442 creates the West Virginia Released Time Education Act, allowing students to be excused from school for religious instruction outside school hours. It requires school districts to adopt policies permitting excusal for 1-5 hours weekly (with parental consent), mandates that religious instruction providers handle transportation and liability, and prohibits school district funding for these courses. Schools must award academic credit for completed courses based solely on secular criteria like class hours, syllabus content, and instructor qualifications - without considering religious content. The bill directly affects students, parents, school districts, and religious instruction providers by establishing clear rules for excusal, credit recognition, and funding boundaries.