National religious education campaign finds foothold in Arizona legislature

By Stacy Mantle
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Arizona lawmakers advanced House Bill 2266 this week, a proposal that would require school districts to excuse students from class to attend privately funded, off-campus religious education programs with parental permission.

The House Education Committee approved HB 2266 on a 7-5 party-line vote. The bill now moves to the full Arizona House of Representatives for consideration.

How HB 2266 would alter current law

Current state law allows districts to approve such absences, but HB 2266 changes a single word in statute — from “may” to “shall” — eliminating local discretion and requiring districts to adopt policies permitting release time.

Supporters framed the bill as a parental rights and religious liberty measure.

“House Bill 2266 is a positive step that reflects the state’s commitment to respecting religious liberty and the diverse needs of families,” Liz Easton, a LifeWise Academy board member, told the House Education Committee. “Not one penny of public school monies go to these programs, and parents have to sign up their children. No one is being forced to attend.”

LifeWise Academy describes its program as “Bible-based character classes” aligned with “historic, orthodox Christian beliefs” and says it operates under a 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Zorach v. Clauson, which permits students to attend off-campus religious instruction during the school day if participation is voluntary, privately funded and not school-run.

"HB 2266 provides clear guidance for schools to initiate released time religious instruction (RTRI), expanding choice for parents," said a LifeWise representative. "By passing this legislation, Arizona would join more than a dozen states that have similar laws on the books, ensuring that all families can take advantage of the opportunity to have their children receive Bible-based character education."

Founded in 2018 in Columbus, Ohio, by Joel Penton, LifeWise presents itself as politically unaffiliated, though Penton has appeared on platforms hosted by the Heritage Foundation and the Family Research Council.

Political and legal infrastructure behind the push

Model legislation enabling LifeWise’s national expansion was drafted by Alliance Defending Freedom, a Scottsdale-based Christian legal advocacy organization, with support from First Liberty Institute. Advocates introduced that model legislation during the 2024 National Association of Christian Lawmakers meeting, where Arizona was identified as a target state because its statute used “may” instead of “shall.”

At that meeting, NACL advisory board member Matthew Faraci described a strategy focused on red states where districts could still deny participation, saying the organization would “be very aggressive” in advancing the legislation.

While HB 2266 is narrower than the full model bill, portions of Rep. David Marshall’s description of the proposal mirrored the national template.

Expansion data and national growth

LifeWise reported in August 2025 that it planned to double its presence to 1,100 schools, operating in 34 states, up from 27 the previous year. At that time, 12 states required public schools to release students for religious instruction, with legislation pending in 11 more.

LifeWise advocates claim participating students show improved attendance and fewer behavioral issues, though those claims have not been independently verified in peer-reviewed education research.

Opposition raises local control and equity concerns

Jeanne Casteen, a lobbyist for Secular AZ, testified against the bill, warning that it shifts control away from local communities.

“It’s becoming clearer and clearer that the idea of parental rights seems to be only about parents that agree with the policies of the majority party in this state,” Casteen said.

Democratic lawmakers criticized the measure for removing instructional time and local governance authority.

Rep. Stephanie Simacek, D-Phoenix, a Deer Valley Unified School Board member, questioned claims that the program would only remove students from class for one hour per week.

“They have to be transported to an off-campus location, and there is no time limit in the bill,” she said. “It’s a controversial, far-right religious instruction program.”

Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson, a public school teacher, raised similar concerns about academic disruption and district autonomy.

Support framed as parental choice

Supporters aligned the bill with Arizona’s broader school choice framework, including the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which allows public funds to be used for private and religious education.

“This bill is really about something pretty simple: Giving parents more flexibility to guide their children’s education in a way that aligns with their values and priorities,” said Ashton Allen, a lobbyist for the Center for Arizona Policy.

David Rose, president of the Lake Havasu Unified School District board, argued the proposal would restore faith-based influence in family life.

“We see the hostile environment that is in schools today,” he said. “That was created because faith was removed.”

Constitutional tensions and legislative debate

During committee debate, Republicans argued the bill protects religious freedom, not promoting state-sponsored religion.

“It just says that the school board can’t stand in the way of a parent’s right to allow the child to receive religious instruction,” said Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa.

Democrats countered that the bill represents state-mandated accommodation of a specific religious framework, not neutral religious freedom policy.

Education Committee Chairman Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, framed the debate as part of a broader cultural struggle over religion in public life.

“I’m worried that our faith is under assault,” he said.

If passed, the measure would shift Arizona from a permissive model of religious release time to a mandatory one, removing local school board authority and formally embedding off-campus religious instruction into the school day statewide — a structural change that would place Arizona within a growing national strategy to reinsert organized religious programming into public education systems.

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.