Education - Released Time

By Jerry Price - Aug 1, 2005

During a Fall 2002 study of the Oakland, California Released Time Bible Education program, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) concluded:

  • A comparative review between the academic performance scores of Oakland Released Time students and all 4th and 5th graders in Released Time schools reveals that students in Oakland Released Time perform better than their classmates as a whole in almost every category.
  • Oakland Released Time’s curricula reinforce key literacy components such as spelling and reading comprehension, among others, and reflects positively on the relevancy of the instruction to the academic performance of children participating in the program.
  • Overall, the scores of Oakland Released Time students improved after one year (between the academic year 2001-2002 and 2002-2003) in three categories of literacy skills: comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary.
  • Oakland Released Time provides youth with strong adult mentorship and bonding.
  • Oakland Released Time reinforces positive moral and character development that is antithetical to engaging in criminal or delinquent behavior.
  • Oakland Released Time interacts with youth who experience many of the academic problems (poor performance, illiteracy, etc.) that are correlated with a history of delinquency.

Monique W. Morris, Barry Krisberg, Sharan Dhanoa, Summary of Findings: Released Time Bible Education, (National Council on Crime and Delinquency), July 25, 2003

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