CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Bible in the Schools announced Monday it presented a community gift for nearly $1 million to the Hamilton County Department of Education.

The goal is to reimburse 100 percent of the costs of funding a Bible history program in 18 public schools for the 2015–2016 academic year.

- Advertisement -

Bible in the Schools said enrollment data for 2015–2016 reported 3,582 students in grades 6–12 elected to take a Bible history classes.

The check totaling $963,282.75 to interim superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly and his cabinet were Mrs. Cathy Scott, president of Bible in the Schools, and Dr. Gary Phillips, vice chairman of Bible in the Schools’ Board of Directors.

About Bible in the Schools

Since 1922, Bible in the Schools, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit, has inspired generosity from across the community, providing Hamilton County public schools students the same opportunity to study the Bible as many of their private school counterparts, at no expense to taxpayers.

Bible in the Schools reimburses HCDE annually for the full cost of each school’s Bible history program. This includes teacher salaries, employee benefits and taxes, classroom materials, and the textbook, which is the Bible.

In 2015-2016, Bible history classes were offered at 18 Hamilton County middle and high schools taught by certified teachers with graduate–level Bible training. Thanks to special contributions, Bible history classes will be offered in 19 schools this fall, with a Bible history program beginning at Brown Middle School for the 2016–2017 academic year.

Classes follow guidelines established by a 1980 federal court ruling, which affirmed that the teaching of Bible in the public school is constitutionally permissible. Hamilton County’s Bible history curriculum meets all pre–established legal requirements, with classes offered as for-credit electives using the Bible as the only textbook. Bible history teachers are employees of the Hamilton County Department of Education and are selected and hired by school principals.

Hamilton County Middle and High Public Schools Offering Bible History Classes: Brainerd High School, Brown Middle School, Central High School, Dalewood Middle School, East Hamilton School, East Lake Academy, East Ridge High School, East Ridge Middle School, Hixson High School, Hixson Middle School, The Howard School, Hunter Middle School, Loftis Middle School, Ooltewah High School, Ooltewah Middle School, Red Bank Middle School, Signal Mountain Middle/High School, Soddy-Daisy Middle School and Tyner Academy.

Learn more about Bible in the Schools here.