Wausau School District
Step 10 of 10
Open for Enrollment (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

131

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

Wisconsin is a
"Shall" state

Learn more about state laws.

Lifewise Enrollment
Location Map Wausau, WI 54403 Marathon County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 15.0% (data source)
Non-White Students 37.0% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated January 19, 2026
Wisconsin State Law

Schools are required to allow students to be released for religious programs. This does not mean schools do not have the ability to create policies that protect the school's instruction time.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws

Full Law Text Link to State Law

118.155 Released time for religious instruction.

(1) Any school board shall, without approval of the state superintendent, permit pupils with written permission of a parent or guardian to be absent from school at least 60 minutes but not more than 180 minutes per week to obtain religious instruction outside the school during the required school period. The supervisor of such religious instruction shall report monthly, to the principal of the school regularly attended, the names of the pupils who attended such weekly religious instruction. The school board may deny the privilege of released time to pupils who absent themselves from such religious instruction after requesting the privilege. The time period, or periods, allotted for the pupil to be absent from school for the purpose of religious instruction shall be determined by the school board.
(2) Any transportation to religious instruction or from religious instruction to the public school shall be the responsibility of the parents or of the organization sponsoring the religious instruction.
(3) The school district shall be released from all liability for a pupil who is absent from school in accordance with sub. (1).

What Can My School District Do?

All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.

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Schools in the District (20)
School Grades Period
Thomas Jefferson Elementary 3rd, 4th
East High
Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy
Franklin Elementary
G D Jones Elementary
Grant Elementary
Hawthorn Hills Elementary
Hewitt-Texas Elementary
Horace Mann Middle
John Marshall Elementary
John Muir Middle
Lincoln Elementary
Maine Elementary
Rib Mountain Elementary
Riverview Elementary
South Mountain Elementary
Stettin Elementary
Wausau Area Montessori Charter School
Wausau Area Virtual Education
West High
19 schools not shown
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Local Personel Download All Lifewise Personel List
Title Name Email Active
Director Laura Hansen laurahansen@lifewise.org Yes

Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
131
November 8, 2025
Step 9
Execute the Plan
131
April 10, 2025
Step 8
Train Your Team
112
October 29, 2024
Step 7
Recruit Your Team
111
September 17, 2024
Step 8
Train Your Team
0
September 10, 2024
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
110
August 30, 2024
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
106
August 24, 2024
Step 5
Draft a Plan
100
August 13, 2024
Step 4
Form a Steering Committee
81
August 2, 2024
Step 2
Join a Kickoff Meeting
64
July 25, 2024
Step 2
Join a Kickoff Meeting
57
July 16, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
13
July 9, 2024
Step 1
Collect 50 Signatures
2
June 20, 2024
Step 0
No Progress
0
March 17, 2024
 
 
Enrollment Data
School Enrollment Lifewise Enrollment % Date
No enrollment information
School/district enrollment numbers from https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
Lifewise enrollment numbers come from social media, newsletters, press, and public record requests. Contact RPS with enrollment numbers.
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