Celebrating a religious or cultural holiday that takes place on school days? Here’s what to know

Students are wrapping up their semesters and slowly lapsing into holiday mode.

But as some families come together to celebrate federal and state-recognized holidays, others participate in religious and cultural celebrations that take place on school days, raising questions about how to ensure students can participate in rituals and cultural celebrations while keeping up with their schoolwork.

“If [Indigenous students] are at a ceremony or in [a] roundhouse all night dancing for their ceremonies, they’re likely to be tired and absent from school on Mondays,” said Ashley Crystal Rojas, the policy director for Indigenous Justice. “It’s really important that our young people not feel the pressure to choose between academic success and their cultural identity.”

Here’s what to know about state and federal holidays, absences and accommodations.

What are the California state and federal holidays? 

• New Year’s Day  
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents Day
• Cesar Chavez Day 
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth 
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving 
• Christmas Day 

There are also several holidays recognized by the California education code, some of which school districts choose to observe, including Genocide Remembrance Day and Native American Day. And in October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 268 into law, which adds Diwali — a festival of lights observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains — to the list of state holidays beginning in 2026, which districts can choose to observe.

Can my child take a holiday off that isn’t a state holiday? 

Yes, according to California’s education code, observing religious holidays — and participating in cultural ceremonies and events — are among the reasons students can take off from school and have it count as an excused absence.

But there are limits. For instance, students cannot miss more than one school day per semester to attend religious retreats.

What are some holidays that students may consider taking off? 

It entirely depends on individual family practices and can vary widely. Some include:

• Good Friday
• Yom Kippur
• Rosh Hashanah
• Eid al-Fitr 
• Eid al-Adha
• Holi 
• Vesak
• Lunar New Year 
• Kwanzaa
• Indigenous rituals connected to various seasons 

What should I do if my child needs to miss a day of school to celebrate a holiday? 

For any holiday or observance, it is best to contact your child’s school administration in advance, notify them of the absence and make sure they understand it is for religious and/or cultural reasons that are excused and justified.

At Indigenous Justice, a nonprofit focused on the self-determination of Indigenous people, Rojas said, they often work with families to understand their rights, including on school absences.

“There’s a really inconsistent implementation across school sites,” Rojas said, noting that even with state and federal protections, not all campus administrators are receptive to students’ needs.

Sometimes, Rojas added, it can be helpful to copy additional administrators on correspondence, including the principal or area superintendent.

Parents or their students should contact teachers to ensure plans are in place for them to make up any missed work and assessments.

Will the student be able to make up any work or exams?  

Yes, because the days away from school count as excused absences. Students are entitled to opportunities to make up for missed work and assessments without any penalty in grade or loss in credit.

According to the state education code, teachers should “determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.”

Do schools provide accommodations for students who participate in religious fasting, such as Ramadan?

Yes, schools in California provide K-12 students participating in religious fasting accommodations for physical education under Assembly Bill 2377.

To access support, provide written documentation to a school principal and notify them of your child’s participation, and the student should be granted credit for instructional time during the accommodation period.