LifeWise Academy

The House-passed state budget plan sets limits on the number of times a week the group can remove Ohio kids from school for religious instruction.

The "Parents' Bill of Rights," which goes into effect Wednesday, requires schools to have a religious release time policy on the books.

LifeWise Academy, a program that provides off-site Bible study for public school students during school hours, released a report saying they are now in more than 600 schools nationwide.

LifeWise Academy, which holds off-site school day Bible study classes for public school students, doubled its revenue as a nonprofit in the last fiscal year.

LifeWise was suing Zachary Parrish of Indiana after he obtained and shared the nonprofit's curriculum online.

The bill called "The Parents' Bill of Rights" requires K-12 schools to notify parents if sexuality is discussed plus it requires schools to allow release time for religious education.

The LifeWise bill requires K-12 school districts to develop policies for programs that allow, with parent permission, for outside religious groups to take children off school premises for religious instruction.

Worthington's school board voted 4-0 Monday to rescind its release time policy after Dec. 31.

The school district already has the Christian LifeWise academic program operating in the Marysville school district.

Worthington is the latest district to reconsider a religious release policy, as two state bills seek to require public schools to have religious release time policies.