Grand Rapids Public Schools
Step 4 of 10
Form a Steering Committee (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

60

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

Michigan is a
"May" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49506 Kent County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 23.0% (data source)
Non-White Students 77.6% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated April 16, 2026
Michigan State Law

School districts may create a policy allowing students to be released for religious study, or they may choose not to coordinate with released-time programs and require the students' legal guardians facilitate the process.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws

Full Law Text Link to State Law

380.1561 Compulsory attendance at public school; enrollment dates; exceptions.
Sec. 1561.

(3) A child is not required to attend a public school in any of the following cases:
(d) The child is regularly enrolled in a public school while in attendance at religious instruction classes for not more than 2 class hours per week, off public school property during public school hours, upon written request of the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis.

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 (51)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
Aberdeen AcademyStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Alger Middle SchoolStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Brookside ElementaryStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Ca Frost Environmental Science Academy ElementaryStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Cesar E Chavez ElementaryStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Martin Luther King Leadership AcademyStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Mulick Park Elementary SchoolStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Union High SchoolStep 4 Collect 50 Signatures 56
Bethany Based SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Blandford Nature CenterStep 4 No Progress 56
Buchanan ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Burton ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Burton Middle SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Ca Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle High SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Campus ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Center For EconomicologyStep 4 No Progress 56
City MiddlehighStep 4 No Progress 56
Coit Creative Arts AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
Congress ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Dickinson AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
East Leonard ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Gerald R Ford Academic CenterStep 4 No Progress 56
Grand Rapids Learning CenterStep 4 No Progress 56
Grand Rapids Montessori AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
Grand Rapids Montessori MiddlehighStep 4 No Progress 56
Grand Rapids Public Museum HighStep 4 No Progress 56
Grand Rapids Public Museum MiddleStep 4 No Progress 56
Grand Rapids University Preparatory AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
Harrison Park AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
Home Education SiteStep 4 No Progress 56
Innovation Central HighStep 4 No Progress 56
John Ball Park Zoo SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Kenosha Park ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Kent Hills ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Newcomers Community SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
North Park Montessori AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
Ottawa High TransitionStep 4 No Progress 56
Ottawa Hills High SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Palmer SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Ridgemoor Park MontessoriStep 4 No Progress 56
Riverside Middle SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Shared TimeStep 4 No Progress 56
Shawmut Hills SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Sherwood Global Studies AcademyStep 4 No Progress 56
Sibley SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Southeast Career PathwaysStep 4 No Progress 56
Southwest Community Campus SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
Southwest MiddleHigh Academia BilingueStep 4 No Progress 56
Stocking ElementaryStep 4 No Progress 56
Union High TransitionStep 4 No Progress 56
Westwood Middle SchoolStep 4 No Progress 56
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 4
Form a Steering Committee
60
April 16, 2026
 
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