Pupil instruction: excused absences: religious or moral instruction.

Existing law allows pupils, with the written consent of their parents or guardians, to be excused from school in order to participate in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction, as specified. Under existing law, these absences will not be deemed absences in computing average daily attendance if (1) the governing board of a school district, in its discretion, first adopts a resolution permitting pupils to be absent from school for the exercises or instruction, (2) the governing board adopts regulations governing the attendance of pupils at the exercises or instruction and the reporting thereof, (3) the pupil attends at least the minimum schoolday, and (4) no pupil is excused for more than 4 days per school month. This bill would delete the condition that a pupil be excused for no more than 4 days per school month, and would instead require as conditions that a pupil in kindergarten or in grade 1 to 8, inclusive, attend the exercises or instruction for no more than 2 hours per school week and that a pupil in grade 9 to 12, inclusive, attend the exercises or instruction for no more than the number of hours required to complete one course at that pupil's school.