You’re staring at your calendar, trying to figure out if you actually have to get out of bed on the second Monday of October. It's a classic struggle. Honestly, the confusion around whether there is class on Columbus Day is totally justified because the United States is currently in the middle of a massive, messy cultural shift regarding this specific holiday.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
If you go to a big public university in a state like Massachusetts, you might be sleeping in. If you’re a third-grader in a rural district in the Midwest, you’re probably sitting at your desk by 8:00 AM. It basically comes down to a weird mix of state laws, local school board politics, and the growing trend of renaming the day to Indigenous Peoples' Day.
The big "maybe" of public K-12 schools
For most families, the question of is there class on Columbus Day starts at the local school district level. Since Columbus Day is a federal holiday—meaning post offices are closed and banks take a breather—many people assume schools follow suit. They don’t.
In states like Florida or Texas, many districts treat it as a normal instructional day. They’d rather have the kids in class now so they can have a longer break at Thanksgiving or Christmas. On the flip side, look at places like New York or New Jersey. In these states, Columbus Day has historically been a huge deal, often tied to Italian-American heritage celebrations. In these regions, schools are much more likely to be shuttered.
But even that is changing.
Take a look at the Portland Public Schools in Oregon or the Los Angeles Unified School District. They’ve swapped the focus. In these districts, the day is recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day. Some choose to stay open and use the day for specific curriculum about Native American history, while others close to honor the holiday’s new identity. It’s a patchwork. You’ve really got to check your specific district’s "Academic Calendar" PDF—usually buried on some archaic-looking website—to be 100% sure.
What about college students?
Higher education is a whole different animal. Professors usually don't care about federal holidays unless the administration forces them to.
If you are attending a private university, the answer to is there class on Columbus Day is almost always "yes." Private institutions like Harvard, Stanford, or NYU generally do not observe the holiday. They operate on their own internal logic. They might give you a "Fall Break" or a "Reading Period" later in the month, but Monday is usually business as usual.
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State universities (public ones) are more likely to follow the state's lead. If the state government offices are closed, the university might be too. But even then, it’s a gamble. Many large state schools have actually started "bundling" their holidays. Instead of giving you Columbus Day off, they might stay open but give you the entire week of Thanksgiving off. It’s all about maximizing instructional hours to meet accreditation standards.
The Indigenous Peoples' Day factor
We have to talk about the name change. It isn't just a political debate; it directly affects the school calendar. As of 2024 and heading into 2026, over a dozen states and more than 100 cities have officially moved to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day either alongside or instead of Columbus Day.
States like Maine, New Mexico, and Hawaii (which celebrates Discoverers' Day) have largely moved away from the traditional Columbus Day model. In these places, if the school is closed, it’s for a different reason than it was twenty years ago. This shift sometimes causes a "transition period" where school boards aren't sure how to handle the day, leading to some years being "off" and some being "on."
Why the confusion exists every single year
The U.S. doesn't have a national education system. That’s the crux of it.
The Department of Education in D.C. doesn't tell a principal in Boise, Idaho, when to close the doors. Because Columbus Day is a "legal" federal holiday but not a "standard" school holiday like Christmas or Labor Day, it falls into a gray area.
- Federal employees: They get the day off.
- Postal workers: They get the day off.
- Bankers: Most get the day off because the Federal Reserve is closed.
- The rest of us: It’s a coin flip.
Businesses often stay open because it’s a major shopping day. Retailers love a Monday holiday for "Fall Clearance" sales. Because parents are often working while schools are closed, it creates a childcare nightmare that leads many school boards to vote against closing. They know that if they stay open, it’s easier for working families.
How to confirm your schedule without guessing
Don't rely on what your friend in the next town over says. Their school board might have made a completely different decision during a heated Tuesday night meeting three months ago.
- The "Yearly Calendar" check: Every school district publishes a calendar a year in advance. Look for the "Instructional Days" vs. "Holidays" legend.
- The "Social Media" trick: Most schools are surprisingly active on X (Twitter) or Facebook. They usually post reminders like "Reminder: No school this Monday" about 48 hours before the break.
- The Syllabus Review: If you're in college, your syllabus is your contract. If the professor listed a lecture for October 12th or 13th, you better be there. Professors rarely deviate from that document once it's handed out.
Final practical takeaway
Is there class on Columbus Day? Most likely, the answer is yes for K-12 students in the South and West, and a probable no for those in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest. For college students, assume you have class unless you see "Campus Closed" in bold letters on your registrar's homepage.
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If you find yourself with the day off, use it to catch up on the work you've been procrastinating on. If you don't have the day off, well, at least the traffic might be slightly lighter because the mail trucks aren't out.
The most proactive thing you can do right now is download your school's 2025-2026 academic calendar to your phone's files. Search for the term "Non-Instructional Day." That is the secret phrase schools use when they don't want to get into the politics of the holiday name but still want to give everyone a break. If that Monday is marked as a "Professional Development" or "Teacher Work Day," the building might be open, but you definitely shouldn't be in your seat.