North St Paul-Maplewood Oakdale Dis
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State Law

Minnesota is a
"May" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map MAPLEWOOD, MN 55109 Ramsey County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 10.8% (data source)
Non-White Students 73.7% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated January 19, 2026
Minnesota State Law

School districts may create a policy allowing students to be released for religious study, or they may choose not to coordinate with released-time programs and require the students' legal guardians facilitate the process.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws

Full Law Text Link to State Law

120A.37 ATTENDANCE PROVISIONS CODED ELSEWHERE.

Subd. 8.Absences. (a) A parent or guardian may apply to a district to have a child excused from attendance, and the district may approve the application in accordance with section 120A.22, subdivision 12. An excused absence may include absence so that the child may attend, for up to three hours a week, instruction by a Tribal spiritual or cultural adviser, or a school for religious instruction. Section 120A.22, subdivision 12, identifies the persons to whom a parent may apply for an excused absence.

What Can My School District Do?

All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.

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Schools in the District (28)
School Grades Period
622 ALTERNATIVE MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
622 Online Elementary School
622 Online High School
622 Online Middle School
Beaver Lake Voluntary Pre-K
Carver Elementary
Castle Elementary
Cowern Elementary
Eagle Point Elementary
EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION
Fairview Adolescent Education Progr
Gladstone Voluntary Pre-K
Harmony Learning Center
John Glenn Middle
Justice Alan Page Elementary School
Maplewood Middle School
North Senior High
Oakdale Elementary
PHOENIX ACADEMY
PrairieCare Maplewood
Richardson Elementary
Skyview Community Elementary
Skyview Community Middle
Tartan Senior High
The Next Step
Therapeutic Education Collective (T
Weaver Elementary
Webster Elementary
18 schools not shown
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Launch Steps History
Step
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Step 1
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January 12, 2026
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June 30, 2024
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March 17, 2024
 
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