Lifewise Academy. What "During School Hours" Looks Like
The Director of a local Lifewise Academy mocks the fact students not attending Lifewise and the public school teachers are impacted by Lifewise forcing schools to coordinate with them.
Tiffin City Schools (Seneca County, Ohio) will have Lifewise Academy operating during their school day starting February 23, 2026. Leading up to the program launch, Respect Public Schools has sought answers from Lifewise regarding safety and background-check policies, the schedule for Lifewise's operations, and basic logistics. Lifewise has made it clear that they do not want to speak publicly about this.
“Taking Away” From Things in the School
Lifewise Academy will say students are missing classes, but it’s the parents’ choice. It does not affect students who do not attend.
This myth is a lie. In Tiffin, second- and third-grade students eat lunch on a rotating schedule, and not all grades eat at the same time due to logistical constraints. This schedule would make it difficult to coordinate sending an entire grade out of school simultaneously, according to the administration.
This means the school will have to find a different time. The principal decided to use the “Library” class for this time. The library class supports keyboarding, technology, reading, and other student services. The state test requires students to demonstrate keyboarding skills. Regardless of the state test, the district has also prioritized typing and technology. This is supported by multiple emails obtained through a public records request.
The school is already concerned about having enough time to prepare students as needed, and Lifewise hasn’t even started. The principal informs Lifewise that the schedule had already been modified to support Lifewise by adding a second Library period, so students attending Lifewise will not be behind. This also prompted the Library teacher to question why their planning time was reduced by adding a second third-grade class.
These few emails make it clear that schools are adjusting schedules and practices to accommodate a religious program. Scheduling will always involve compromises, but making a religious program the reason for these changes is wrong. The district also discussed adding more Library and Technology class time, but how does this work with a religious program that requires the school to accommodate it?
Lifewise plans to operate in every grade at Tiffin City Schools. This issue will only become larger as they push the school for more time. In an email, you can see the Lifewise director already asking about second grade.
The Lifewise Academy director has downplayed the fact that students miss class, that schools are adjusting schedules, and the effect this has on other students' learning. All because Lifewise has chosen to make the public schools its mission field. Lifewise will claim they are operating legally and have the “right” to do this. While Lifewise can operate legally under state and federal laws and guidelines, Lifewise Academy may choose to operate in ways that support students and teachers. After school. Released time (Lifewise) is not a right, and no court has ever recognized it as a constitutional right.
These disruptions and problems are being forced onto the school by Lifewise Academy’s selfishness.
The Director of Lifewise Academy in Tiffin claims that Lifewise is “taking away” class time. It is absurd for the director to find it ironic or to mock the fact that students and teachers not enrolled in Lifewise are affected. Schools should not serve as extensions of religious organizations; instead, they are spaces that accommodate individuals of all faiths and none. Clearly, Lifewise has failed to recognize that alternative views and beliefs exist.
Child Safety and Background Checks
The Tiffin City Schools released time policy states:
Respect Public Schools requested all records of these checks to verify they had been completed. No records were returned from the school. No correspondence indicates that Lifewise or the school district has inquired about their completion. Parents would assume the district's safety procedures are being implemented, but there is no evidence to support this.
Lifewise Academy claims student safety is its number one priority. But they have not complied with the school’s background check requirements. Emails from Lifewise indicate they planned to start on December 2, 2025, but when the school district did not distribute enrollment applications, Lifewise postponed the program launch. Prior to this date, there was no record of background checks being completed and provided to the district.
The school and Lifewise agreed to launch at the beginning of the term, February 23, 2026. With more than two months of additional time to complete and provide the background checks, Lifewise still has not done so.
The Problem Lifewise Created
The situation Tiffin City Schools finds themselves in is not unique. School districts have been speaking out and pushing back against released time as Lifewise has spread. (Districts that rejected Lifewise) In response, Lifewise Academy lobbied the state legislature to change Ohio law and force public school districts to collaborate. Lifewise Academy is now in over 50% of Ohio public school districts. The law change accelerated Lifewise’s growth and forced schools to allow the program.
During the bill's hearing, a Lifewise attorney, Matt Krause of First Liberty Institute, testified that released time is not a right. It can be legal, but is not required to be offered. That did not stop Lifewise from pushing the Ohio legislature to pass the bill and change the law to remove a school district's ability to choose how it coordinates with external entities, such as Lifewise Academy.
While schools navigate their position, there is still work to be done. Speak to your school board. Mandate that good policy be passed. Also, mandate that those policies be enforced. If third-party organizations cannot comply with the policies, they should not be permitted to continue operating within the district.
Lifewise Academy created this issue and can control its impact on the schools. How they choose to operate should be seen as the true indicator of how they feel about the public schools.
Read the public records request.
See the full public records request response.
Read more about Lifewise, RTRI, and see the Lifewise map at https://respectpublicschools.com/
Thanks for this article. Another organization standing up to LifeWise Academy that people should know about is the Secular Education Association. Their site is: https://seculareducationassociation.org.