Polk County
Step 10 of 10
Open for Enrollment (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

377

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

Georgia is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Lifewise Enrollment
Location Map Cedartown, GA 30125 Polk County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 22.2% (data source)
Non-White Students 45.5% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated January 19, 2026
Georgia State Law

There is no state statute regulating released time for religious instruction, federal rulings still apply. "No-Statute" states function in theory the same way as "May-Law" states. 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

States with no statute for released time religious instruction are treated like "may" states. Released time programs would need to request approval from the local school board. School districts should not allow a released time program to operate in the district without a specific released time policy.

The federal case laws that mandate how released time functions should be followed. Zorach vs Clauson states:

School districts in states without a statute mandating a released time policy can choose not to allow released time or to coordinate with religious organizations seeking to remove students from school during the school day.

School districts should always have a policy indicating whether they coordinate with released-time religious instruction programs. Not having a policy at all and leaving it up to the released time program should never be the operating standard. This will open the district up to misinterpretation of its intent.

It is suggested that parents approach the school board and request that a released time religious instruction policy be implemented, even before a religious program approaches the district.

This does not encompass all legal requirements, and other legal opinions may exist. Please use this as a guide only.

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 (11)
School Grades Period
Cherokee Elementary School 2nd, 3rd
Eastside Elementary School 3rd
Northside Elementary 3rd
Van Wert Elementary School 3rd
Westside Elementary School 3rd
Youngs Grove Elementary School 2nd, 3rd
Cedartown High School
Cedartown Middle School
Harpst Academy
Rockmart High School
Rockmart Middle School
5 schools not shown
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
377
November 13, 2025
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
376
April 30, 2025
Step 9
Execute the Plan
375
April 22, 2025
Step 8
Train Your Team
374
March 4, 2025
Step 7
Recruit Your Team
374
December 31, 2024
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
369
November 12, 2024
Step 5
Draft a Plan
60
November 6, 2024
Step 2
Join a Kickoff Meeting
57
October 29, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
3
October 9, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
June 16, 2024
 
 
Enrollment Data
School Enrollment Lifewise Enrollment % Date
No enrollment information
School/district enrollment numbers from https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
Lifewise enrollment numbers come from social media, newsletters, press, and public record requests. Contact RPS with enrollment numbers.
Associated Organizations
Org Type Org Name Address Website
Church Second Baptist Church of Cedartown 152 Evergreen Lane Cedartown, GA 30125 https://www.sbcedartown.org/

 



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