New Hampshire

State Law - New Hampshire is a "No-Statute" State

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

Full Law Text

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:

  • The public schools should be neutral. “School authorities are neutral in this regard, and do no more than release students whose parents so request.”
  • No announcements in the school with regard to the released time program.
  • Released time classes are held off of school property
  • No public funds or employees are used to facilitate the released time program.
  • Parents give their signed consent form to the administration.

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.

Notes

(NONE)

Press/News/Media
District Stats
Step 0
106
65%
Steps 1-3
55
34%
Steps 4-6
1
1%
Steps 7-9
0
0%
Step 10
0
0%
Map Overview View Interactive Map

All Districts
District Current Step Signatures
Fall Mountain Regional School District Step 4 55
Allenstown School District Step 1 1
Alton School District Step 1 1
Amherst School District Step 1 1
Bedford School District Step 1 6
Brentwood School District Step 1 1
Brookline School District Step 1 1
Claremont School District Step 1 6
Contoocook Valley School District Step 1 4
Derry School District Step 1 3
Epping School District Step 1 2
Exeter School District Step 1 1
Franklin School District Step 1 1
Gilmanton School District Step 1 1
Goffstown School District Step 1 2
Governor Wentworth Reg School District Step 1 3
Hampstead School District Step 1 1
Hillsboro Deering Coop School District Step 1 2
Hinsdale School District Step 1 1
Hopkinton School District Step 1 2
Hudson School District Step 1 5
Inter-Lakes School District Step 1 3
Jaffrey-Rindge Coop School District Step 1 3
John Stark Regional School District Step 1 1
Keene School District Step 1 3
Laconia School District Step 1 4
Lebanon School District Step 1 2
Lincoln-Woodstock School District Step 1 1
Londonderry School District Step 1 2
Merrimack School District Step 1 2
Merrimack Valley School District Step 1 5
Milan School District Step 1 1
Milton School District Step 1 1
Moultonborough School District Step 1 2
Nashua School District Step 1 3
Newfound Area School District Step 1 2
Newport School District Step 1 3
Nottingham School District Step 1 2
Pembroke School District Step 1 2
Plymouth School District Step 1 1
Portsmouth School District Step 1 3
Profile School District Step 1 1
Raymond School District Step 1 2
Rochester School District Step 1 7
Rumney School District Step 1 1
Rye School District Step 1 1
Salem School District Step 1 2
Shaker Regional School District Step 1 1
Somersworth School District Step 1 2
Souhegan Cooperative School District Step 1 3
Stratham School District Step 1 1
Sunapee School District Step 1 1
Tamworth School District Step 1 1
Weare School District Step 1 1
White Mountain Regional School District Step 1 2
Winnisquam Regional School District Step 1 1
Andover School District Step 0 0
Barnstead School District Step 0 0
Barrington School District Step 0 0
Bartlett School District Step 0 0
Bath School District Step 0 0
Benton School District Step 0 0
Bethlehem School District Step 0 0
Bow School District Step 0 0
Campton School District Step 0 0
Candia School District Step 0 0
Chatham School District Step 0 0
Chester School District Step 0 0
Chesterfield School District Step 0 0
Chichester School District Step 0 0
Clarksville School District Step 0 0
Columbia School District Step 0 0
Coos County School District Step 0 0
Cornish School District Step 0 0
Croydon School District Step 0 0
Deerfield School District Step 0 0
Dresden School District Step 0 0
Dummer School District Step 0 0
Dunbarton School District Step 0 0
East Kingston School District Step 0 0
Eaton School District Step 0 0
Ellsworth School District Step 0 0
Epsom School District Step 0 0
Errol School District Step 0 0
Exeter Region Coop School District Step 0 0
Freedom School District Step 0 0
Fremont School District Step 0 0
Gilford School District Step 0 0
Gorham Randolph Shelburne Coop School District Step 0 0
Goshen School District Step 0 0
Grantham School District Step 0 0
Hale's Location District Step 0 0
Hampton Falls School District Step 0 0
Hanover School District Step 0 0
Harrisville School District Step 0 0
Hart's Location School District Step 0 0
Haverhill Cooperative School District Step 0 0
Henniker School District Step 0 0
Hill School District Step 0 0
Holderness School District Step 0 0
Hollis School District Step 0 0
Hollis/Brookline Coop School District Step 0 0
Hooksett School District Step 0 0
Jackson School District Step 0 0
Kearsarge Regional School District Step 0 0
Kensington School District Step 0 0
Lafayette Regional School District Step 0 0
Landaff School District Step 0 0
Lempster School District Step 0 0
Lisbon Regional School District Step 0 0
Littleton School District Step 0 0
Lyme School District Step 0 0
Madison School District Step 0 0
Marlborough School District Step 0 0
Marlow School District Step 0 0
Mascenic Regional School District Step 0 0
Mascoma Valley Reg School District Step 0 0
Mason School District Step 0 0
Middleton School District Step 0 0
Monadnock Regional School District Step 0 0
Monroe School District Step 0 0
Mont Vernon School District Step 0 0
Nelson School District Step 0 0
New Boston School District Step 0 0
New Castle School District Step 0 0
Newfields School District Step 0 0
Newington School District Step 0 0
Newmarket School District Step 0 0
North Hampton School District Step 0 0
Northumberland School District Step 0 0
Oyster River Coop School District Step 0 0
Pelham School District Step 0 0
Pemi-Baker Regional School District Step 0 0
Piermont School District Step 0 0
Pittsburg School District Step 0 0
Plainfield School District Step 0 0
Prospect Mountain School District Step 0 0
Rivendell Interstate School District Step 0 0
Rivendell Interstate Supervisory District Step 0 0
Rollinsford School District Step 0 0
Sanborn Regional School District Step 0 0
School Administrative Unit #70 Step 0 0
Seabrook School District Step 0 0
South Hampton School District Step 0 0
Stark School District Step 0 0
Stewartstown School District Step 0 0
Stoddard School District Step 0 0
Stratford School District Step 0 0
Sullivan School District Step 0 0
Surry School District Step 0 0
Thornton School District Step 0 0
Timberlane Regional School District Step 0 0
Wakefield School District Step 0 0
Warren School District Step 0 0
Waterville Valley School District Step 0 0
Wentworth School District Step 0 0
Westmoreland School District Step 0 0
Wilton-Lyndeboro School District Step 0 0
Winchester School District Step 0 0
Windham School District Step 0 0
Windsor School District Step 0 0
Winnacunnet Coop School District Step 0 0
All States
Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | District of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming


Respect Public Schools
Contact Info
keithc@respectpublicschools.com
Privacy Policy
Copyright 2026
Paid for by Keith Comer