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People who signed Lifewise's petition
Pennsylvania is a
"Shall" state
| Location Map | Philadelphia, PA 19130 Philadelphia County |
| Lifewise Local Program Website | Link (opens in a new tab) |
| District Poverty Rate | 24.4% (data source) |
| Non-White Students | 85.4% (data source) |
| NCES Link | NCES District Info |
| Last Updated | January 20, 2026 |
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
§ 11.21. Religious holidays and religious instruction.
(a) Upon written parental request, and in accordance with the policies of the district’s board of school directors, students may be excused from school for religious holidays observed by bona fide religious groups.
(b) Upon written parental request, a student shall be excused from school to attend classes for religious instruction under section 1546 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § 15-1546). The excusal shall be limited to a total of not more than 36 hours per school year.
(c) A student’s absence from school for religious holidays or for religious instruction shall be recorded as an excused absence. A penalty may not be attached to an absence for religious holidays or instruction.
Authority
The provisions of this § 11.21 amended under section 1317(a) of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 367(a) (Repealed)); and sections 1327, 1330, 1372, 1511 and 2603-B of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § § 13-1327, 13-1330, 13-1372, 15-1511 and 26-2603-B).
Source
The provisions of this § 11.21 amended December 19, 1986, effective December 20, 1986, 16 Pa.B. 4874; amended October 22, 2004, effective October 23, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 5798. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (244457) to (244458).
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.
Share With Others Click to share| School | Step | Description | Grades | Period | Signatures |
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| Arts Academy At Benjamin Rush | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Bache-Martin Sch | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Central Hs | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Lincoln Hs | Step 1 | Collect 50 Signatures | 1 | ||
| Academy At Palumbo | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Cayuga School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Creative And Performing Arts | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Feltonville Intermediate School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Feltonville Sch Of Arts & Sciences | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Finletter Thomas K Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Fitler Academics Plus | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Forrest Edwin Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Heston Edward Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Hill Freedman World Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| John Hancock Demonstration Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| John Story Jenks Academy For The Arts An | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Juniata Park Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Kearny Gen Philip Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Kelley William D Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Kensington Creative & Performing Arts Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Key Francis Scott Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| King Martin Luther Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Kirkbride Eliza B Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lamberton Robert E Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lankenau Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lawton Henry W Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lea Henry C Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Lewis C Cassidy Academics Plus Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Locke Alain Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Loesche William H Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Logan James Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Longstreth William C Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Marshall John Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Marshall Thurgood | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Mastbaum Jules E AVTS | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Meredith William M Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Middle Years Alternative | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Mitchell El Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Moffet John Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Moore J Hampton Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Morris Robert Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Morrison Andrew J Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Morton Thomas G Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Motivation Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Munoz-Marin Luis | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Nebinger George W Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Northeast Community Propel Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Northeast Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Olney El Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Overbrook Edu Ctr | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Overbrook Elementary School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Overbrook Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Parkway Center City Middle College | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Parkway Northwest | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Patterson John M Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Paul Robeson Hs For Human Services | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Peirce Thomas M Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Penn Alexander Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Penn Treaty Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Pennell Joseph Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Penrose Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Philadelphia Learning Academy - North | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Philadelphia Learning Academy - South | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Philadelphia Military Acad At Elverson | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Pollock Robert B Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Potter-Thomas Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Powel Samuel Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Prince Hall | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Randolph A. Philip AVT HS | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Rhawnhurst Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Rhoads James Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Rhodes E Washington Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Richmond Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Roosevelt Theodore Ms | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Roxborough Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Samuel Gompers Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Samuel Pennypacker Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Saul W B Agricultural School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Sayre William L Ms | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| School Of The Future | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Science Leadership Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Science Leadership Academy Ms | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Sharswood George Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Shawmont Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Sheppard Isaac Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Sheridan Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Solis-Cohen Solomon Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| South Philadelphia Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Southwark Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Spring Garden Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Spruance Gilbert Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Stanton Edwin M Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Steel Edward Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Strawberry Mansion Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Sullivan James J Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Swenson Arts & Technology HS | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Taggart John H Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Taylor Bayard Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| The Linc | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| The Science Leadership Academy At Beeber | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| The Sd Of Philadelphia Virtual Academy | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| The U School: Innovative Lab | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| The Workshop School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Tilden William T Ms | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Vare-Washington El Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Vaux Hs: A Big Picture School | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Wagner Gen Louis Ms | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Waring Laura W Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Washington George Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Washington Grover Jr Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Washington Martha Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Webster Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Welsh John Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| West Philadelphia Hs | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Widener Memorial Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Willard Frances E Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Wilson Woodrow Ms | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Wright Richard R Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
| Ziegler William H Sch | Step 0 | No Progress | 0 | ||
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| Submit churches, businesses and non-profits that support Lifewise. | ||||
