separation of church and state

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.

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

The Ohio case shows how governments can push the envelope to funnel money to private schools.

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.

At the center of the debate is the increasingly popular Hilliard-based LifeWise Academy, which runs in more than 500 schools in 23 U.S. states.

The move comes just a month after Westerville City Schools rescinded their religious release time policy, ending the district’s LifeWise Academy off-campus Bible study.

The decision spells the end for the LifeWise Academy in the district. The popular – and sometimes controversial – program had been in the district since fall 2022.

The Westerville City School Board is considering removing its religious release time policy. That would mean the end of the school district’s LifeWise Program.

The increasingly popular LifeWise Academy will be in 525 schools in 23 U.S. states next school year. Its slogan is “during school hours.”

LifeWise founder and CEO Joel Penton told The Associated Press that many parents want religious instruction to be part of their children’s education.