COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released guidance and a non-exhaustive list of religious expression days students can take as absences.
Ohio schools and districts must now adopt a policy that reasonably accommodates a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs and practices for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system.
Every Ohio school district, charter and STEM school must adopt a policy that allows students three days off each year to observe religious holy days. The deadline for schools to adopt the policy is January 22.
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 3320.04, which became effective on Oct. 24, 2024, the
Department of Education and Workforce compiled a non-exhaustive list of major religious
holidays for the next two school years which schools and districts may use and add to when
creating their policy for excusing students for religious expression.
Students are given up to three religious expression days per school year provided that the
parent or guardian provides written notice to the school or district of the selected days within 14 school days of the start of school (or within 14 days of a newly enrolled student’s first day in the school or district).
The policy must allow students to participate in interscholastic athletics or other extracurricular activities on a religious expression day.
Schools and districts must post and communicate the policy to families and students. Each
school or district must collaborate with the student and family on accommodations needed
when there is a conflict between a religious expression day and a school assessment or
academic requirement.
The Department of Education and Workforce says no inclusion or exclusion of a religious holiday or festival on the list below shall preclude a student from full and reasonable accommodations for any sincerely held religious beliefs and practices for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system.
These three religious expression days do not count toward parental notification requirements under ORC 3321.191 (C)(1) for excessive absences.
