Is School Closed for Diwali 2026 in the USA? State and District Guide

Quick answer: Most US schools stay open for Diwali. Only a few jurisdictions designate it as a school holiday, and the best-known one is New York City, under New York State law. In 2026 the main day of Diwali and Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November, so it does not clash with the school week. But Dhanteras is Friday 6 November, Govardhan Puja is Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj is Tuesday 10 November, all normal school days in most districts. Check your district calendar now and, if you plan to keep your child home, ask the school in writing.

Last updated: 9 October 2026. We list a jurisdiction as fact only where we could read an official page. Calendars change, so always confirm with your own district.

This guide is for Hindu parents, students and teachers. For puja timings in your city, see our Diwali 2026 USA Lakshmi Puja muhurat guide. For the full festival, see Diwali 2026 dates in the USA: the complete five-day celebration.

Diwali 2026 dates in the USA and the school week

These are the US dates from our five-day Diwali guide. Your temple may follow a slightly different local calendar.

Because the main evening puja is on a Sunday, many families will not need to miss school at all in 2026. Families who keep Govardhan Puja or Bhai Dooj at home or at the temple, or who travel to relatives for the weekend, may want a morning off, an early pickup or a lighter homework night.

Four different things: holiday, closure, excused absence and leave

News stories often say Diwali "is now a holiday" without saying what kind. These are four separate things:

• Statewide legal holiday: a state law names Diwali as a holiday. Depending on the wording, this may only recognise the day, or it may affect state offices. It does not by itself close every school in the state.
• District school closure: the school board or the law puts Diwali on the school calendar as a day with no classes. This is what most parents mean by "a Diwali school holiday". It applies only to that district.
• Excused religious absence: the school stays open, but your child's absence for a religious observance may be recorded as excused under the district's attendance policy. Rules on notice, limits and makeup work vary.
• Workplace leave: your employer decides whether you get a day off, can use paid time off, or can swap shifts. A school closure does not give parents time off work, and a state holiday rarely covers private employers.

When you read that a state has "made Diwali a holiday", find out which of these it is before you plan around it.

Jurisdictions we verified on official pages (checked 9 October 2026)

Outside these two, we could not read an official source on 9 October 2026, so we do not state anything as fact. That includes California (the current status and exact effect of the state's Diwali bill), Pennsylvania, and New Jersey districts such as those in Middlesex County. Check the official district calendar for these and every other area. If your local news says your state or district now recognises Diwali, confirm which of the four types above it is.

How to check your district calendar

1. Go to your school district's own website (usually ending in .k12.[state].us, .org or .gov) and open the current school year calendar. Do not rely on third-party calendar sites.
2. Look at the week of 2 to 13 November 2026 and note any student holidays, early releases or teacher workdays.
3. Search the page or PDF for "Diwali", "Deepavali" and "religious observance". Some districts list Diwali as an observance (no tests) rather than a closure.
4. Find the attendance policy, often in the student handbook, and read what it says about religious absences and notice.
5. Check whether your district has a "no tests on religious holidays" or "limited assignment" rule for listed observances.
6. If the calendar is unclear, email the school office and ask directly.

How to request an excused absence

If your child will miss school for Dhanteras, Govardhan Puja or Bhai Dooj, or for travel to family, ask in writing. Here is a simple approach:

• Send the request two to three weeks ahead, to the class teacher and the school attendance office (and the principal if your district asks for it).
• Name the observance and the date, and explain briefly that it is a Hindu religious festival.
• Ask how the absence will be recorded and whether any form is needed.
• Ask about tests and assignments that day, and offer to do work in advance.
• Keep a copy of your email and the reply.

The Hindu American Foundation's guide to requesting an excused absence for a festival recommends a written request in advance and sharing short educational material about the observance. It also notes that religious absences usually still count toward total permitted absences, so check your district's limits. HAF also has an overview of religious accommodations in schools.

Copy-ready email template

Subject: Religious observance absence request: [Student name], [date]

Dear [Teacher name / Principal name],

Our family is Hindu, and we will be observing [Govardhan Puja / Bhai Dooj / Dhanteras], part of the five-day Diwali festival, on [weekday, date] November 2026. We would like [Student name], in [grade / class], to be excused from school on that day [or: from [time] onward] so that [he / she / they] can take part in family prayers and the observance.

Could you please let us know how the absence will be recorded under the district attendance policy, and whether any form or note is needed? We would also be grateful to know about any tests, quizzes or assignments due that day so that [Student name] can make them up or submit them in advance.

If it helps, we are happy to share a short note about Diwali with the class. Thank you for your understanding.

Warm regards,

[Parent / guardian name], [phone number]

Edit the bracketed parts. Keep it short and friendly. Schools decide how to record absences, so treat this as a request, not a demand.

Makeup work and exam rescheduling

• Ask early for a list of tests, quizzes, projects and deadlines on the day your child will be away.
• Offer to complete work before the day off, or agree a makeup date in writing.
• Older students should talk to each teacher themselves; many high schools expect the student to arrange makeup work.
• For state tests, AP or other external exams, ask the school counsellor early. Fixed national test dates are usually harder to move than classroom tests.
• If a test is scheduled on a day your district lists as a religious observance, politely point to the district's own calendar or policy.

College and university students

Very few colleges close for Diwali. Most universities have a religious accommodation policy in the academic calendar, the registrar's office or the student handbook. Read it, and email your instructors as soon as you know which day you need, ideally in the first weeks of term. Ask to move an exam, presentation or deadline, and keep the replies. Many campus Hindu student groups hold Diwali events on the weekend, which in 2026 lines up with Sunday 8 November.

Planning a calm Diwali around the school week

• Do the big Lakshmi Puja on Sunday evening 8 November, and keep Saturday for cleaning, rangoli and shopping.
• On Friday 6 November (Dhanteras), plan a short evening puja or a simple diya after school.
• For Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November, a short morning prayer or an after-school family meal may be enough.
• Check temple programme times, since many US temples move large events to the weekend.
• Talk with your child's teacher about sharing Diwali in class; many teachers welcome a short talk, a story or a rangoli activity.

For other festival dates through the year, see the Hindu festival calendar 2026 for American Hindus, and for temples and community life, our Hinduism in the USA 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

Are US schools closed for Diwali 2026?

Most are not. Diwali has no federal holiday status, and most school districts stay open. In 2026 the main day of Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November, so it does not fall on a school day anywhere. Check your own district calendar for the weekday festival days around it.

Are New York City public schools closed for Diwali?

New York Education Law section 2586-a makes Diwali a holiday in New York City public schools, and NYC schools closed on Monday 20 October 2025 for Diwali. In 2026 Diwali falls on a Sunday, and the official NYC Public Schools 2026-27 calendar, checked on 9 October 2026, does not list a separate weekday closure for it.

Is Diwali a school holiday in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2026?

The official FCPS 2026-27 calendar lists Diwali on Sunday 8 November 2026, a weekend day, so no weekday closure is involved. FCPS says tests, quizzes and similar events that cannot be made up cannot be scheduled on religious and cultural observances.

Which Diwali days fall on school days in 2026?

Using the US dates in our five-day guide: Dhanteras is Friday 6 November, Choti Diwali Saturday 7 November, Diwali and Lakshmi Puja Sunday 8 November, Govardhan Puja Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj Tuesday 10 November. Friday, Monday and Tuesday are normal school days in most districts.

How do I request an excused absence for Diwali?

Write to your child's teacher and the school office, ideally two to three weeks ahead. Give the date, the name of the observance and a short explanation, ask how the absence will be recorded, and ask about makeup work. Follow your district's attendance policy; schools decide how to record the absence.

Can a school refuse to excuse a Diwali absence?

Policies differ by state and district, and this guide is not legal advice. Many districts list religious observance as an excused reason, but they decide how absences are coded and may count them toward attendance limits. Read your district's attendance policy and ask the school in writing.

Do colleges give Diwali off?

Very few colleges close for Diwali. Most have a religious accommodation policy that lets students ask to reschedule exams or deadlines. Check your college's academic calendar and policy, and contact your instructors early in the term or as soon as possible.

Sources and verification date

• New York State Senate, Education Law section 2586-a (read 9 October 2026)
• New York State Senate, bill S7574 of 2023 (read 9 October 2026)
• NYC Public Schools, 2026-27 school year calendar (read 9 October 2026)
• Fairfax County Public Schools, school year calendars (read 9 October 2026)
• Hindu American Foundation, requesting an excused absence for a festival (read 9 October 2026)
• US festival dates: our Diwali 2026 USA five-day guide

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

We checked every jurisdiction in the table on its official website on 9 October 2026. We could not reach official sources for California, Pennsylvania or New Jersey districts that day, so we have not described their rules. School calendars and laws can change. This guide is general information, not legal advice, and it does not mean any school must grant a request. Always confirm with your district and school.