Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Step 6 of 10
Obtain School Approval (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

266

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

Maryland is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map Annapolis, MD 21401 Anne Arundel County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 6.2% (data source)
Non-White Students 54.4% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated January 18, 2026
Maryland 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 (126)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
AACPS Virtual AcademyStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Annapolis ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 2
Annapolis HighStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 2
Arnold ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Belle Grove ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Brooklyn Park ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Central ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Chesapeake HighStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 4
Crofton ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
George T. Cromwell ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Jacobsville ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Lake Shore ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 2
Macarthur MiddleStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 2
Monarch AcademyStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Monarch Academy Annapolis EsStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Northeast HighStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Pasadena ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Severna Park HighStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 7
Severna Park MiddleStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
South River HighStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 2
Traceys ElementaryStep 1 Collect 50 Signatures 1
Annapolis MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Anne Arundel Evening HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Arundel HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Arundel MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Belvedere ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Benfield ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Bodkin ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Broadneck ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Broadneck HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Brock Bridge ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Brooklyn Park MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Cape St. Claire ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Carrie Weedon Early Education CenterStep 0 No Progress 0
Center of Applied Technology-NorthStep 0 No Progress 0
Center of Applied Technology-SouthStep 0 No Progress 0
Central MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Central Special SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Chesapeake Bay MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Chesapeake Science PointStep 0 No Progress 0
Corkran Middle SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Crofton High SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Crofton Meadows ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Crofton MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Crofton Woods ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Davidsonville ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Deale ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Eastport ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Edgewater ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Ferndale Early Education CenterStep 0 No Progress 0
Folger Mckinsey ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Fort Smallwood ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Four Seasons ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Freetown ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
George Fox MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Georgetown East ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Germantown ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Glen Burnie HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Glen Burnie Park ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Glendale ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Hebron - Harman ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
High Point ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Hillsmere ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Hilltop ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Jessup ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Jones ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Lindale MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Linthicum ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Lothian ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Magothy River MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Manor View ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Marley ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Marley Glen SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Marley MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Mary Moss at Adams AcademyStep 0 No Progress 0
Maryland City ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Mayo ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Meade Heights ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Meade HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Meade MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Millersville ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Monarch Global Academy Pcs Laurel CampusStep 0 No Progress 0
Nantucket ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
North County HighStep 0 No Progress 0
North Glen ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Oak Hill ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Oakwood ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Odenton ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Old Mill HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Old Mill Middle NorthStep 0 No Progress 0
Old Mill Middle SouthStep 0 No Progress 0
Overlook ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Park ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Pershing Hill ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Phoenix AcademyStep 0 No Progress 0
Piney Orchard ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Point Pleasant ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Quarterfield ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Richard Henry Lee ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Ridgeway ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Rippling Woods ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Riviera Beach ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Rolling Knolls ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Ruth Parker Eason SchoolStep 0 No Progress 0
Seven Oaks ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Severn ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Severn River MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Severna Park ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Shady Side ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Shipley's Choice ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Solley ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
South Shore ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Southern HighStep 0 No Progress 0
Southern MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Southgate ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Studio 39Step 0 No Progress 0
Sunset ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Tyler Heights ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Van Bokkelen ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Walter S. Mills - Parole ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Waugh Chapel ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
West Annapolis ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
West Meade Early Education CenterStep 0 No Progress 0
Wiley H. Bates MiddleStep 0 No Progress 0
Windsor Farm ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
Woodside ElementaryStep 0 No Progress 0
116 schools not shown
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
266
January 14, 2026
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
265
January 8, 2026
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
264
December 31, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
262
December 25, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
261
December 23, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
260
December 21, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
257
December 17, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
254
December 13, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
253
December 10, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
252
December 6, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
251
December 4, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
250
December 1, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
248
November 27, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
247
November 26, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
246
March 28, 2025
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
209
March 4, 2025
Step 5
Draft a Plan
207
February 2, 2025
Step 4
Form a Steering Committee
157
January 18, 2025
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
35
January 4, 2025
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
34
December 31, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
17
November 6, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
15
September 17, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
14
July 26, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
12
July 17, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
11
June 25, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
10
June 16, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
June 16, 2024
 
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