NC S404

Authorizes local boards of education to adopt policies allowing students to attend off-campus religious instruction classes during the instructional day with written parental consent.

Requires religious instruction providers to maintain attendance records, arrange transportation, and assume liability for participating students while prohibiting use of public funds or school personnel involvement.

Prohibits students from being released during core academic classes and stipulates they are not considered absent while attending religious instruction, though they must make up missed coursework.

Allows boards of education to award high school students up to two elective course credits for completing off-campus religious instruction classes evaluated using secular criteria comparable to nonpublic school transfer standards.

Credits awarded for religious instruction must be neutral regarding religious content, indicated on transcripts as pass/fail only, and excluded from class rank and grade point average calculations.