List of Religious Holidays Permitting Pupil Absence From School
WHEREAS, according to N.J.S.A. 18A:36-14 through 16 and N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.4(e), regarding student absence from school because of religious holidays, the Commissioner of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, is charged with the responsibility of prescribing such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of the law; and
WHEREAS, the law provides that:
- Any student absent from school because of a religious holiday may not be deprived of any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award because of such absence;
- Students who miss a test or examination because of absence on a religious holiday must be given the right to take an alternate test or examination;
- To be entitled to the privileges set forth above, the student must present a written excuse signed by a parent or person standing in place of a parent;
- Any absence because of a religious holiday must be recorded in the school register or in any group or class attendance record as an excused absence;
- Such absence must not be recorded on any transcript or application or employment form or on any similar form; and
- The Commissioner, with the approval of the State Board of Education, is required to:\
- prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this act; and
- prepare a list of religious holidays on which it shall be mandatory to excuse a The list, however, is to be a minimum list. Boards of education, at their discretion, may add other days to the list for the schools of their districts; and
WHEREAS, the New Jersey Department of Education makes every attempt to ensure the accuracy of the dates using the lunar, Gregorian and Julian calendars; and
WHEREAS, the district board of education has the right to add any bona fide religious holiday to the list for its own schools;
WHEREAS, dates within this resolution may not be fixed before the State Board adopts the annual calendar and may require additional revision; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the State Board of Education permits the Commissioner of Education, after annual adoption by the State Board of Education, to revise the dates provided in list of religious holidays; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the State Board of Education adopts the following list of religious holidays for the 2023 - 2024 school year:
Date | Observance |
---|---|
June 26-July1 | Hajj Day (Islam)* |
July 2 | Foundation Stone of Shri Akal Takht Sahib Ji (Sikh) |
July 3 | Guru Purnima |
July 9 | Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha’i) |
July 18 | 1st Muharram (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
July 18-27 | Ashara Mubaraka (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
July 19 | 1st Muharram (Islamic New Year) |
July 27 |
|
July 28 | Ashura (Islam) |
June 29 | Eid al-Adha (Islam)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
August 1 |
|
August 6 | Transfiguration of the Lord (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
August 14-16 | Obon (Buddhist) |
August 15 |
|
August 20-31 | Onam (Hindu)* |
August 21 | Naga Panchami (Hindu)* |
August 30 |
|
Date | Observance |
---|---|
September 1 |
|
September 5 | Chehlum Imam Hussain (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
September 7 |
|
September 8 | Nativity of Mary (Christian) |
September 12-19 | Paryushana (Jain)* |
September 16-17 |
|
September 19 | Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu)* |
September 21 | Nativity of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
September 22 | Jyoti Jot Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikh) |
September 21-29 | Mabon (Wicca/Pagan) |
September 25 |
|
September 26 | Milad an-Nabi (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
September 27 | Maulid al-Nabi (Islam)* The Elevation of the Holy Cross (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
September 29 – October 6 |
|
September 30 | Urus-Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
October 7 | Last Great Day (Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God) |
October 7-8 | Sh’mini Atzeret (Jewish) |
October 8 | Simchat Torah (Jewish) |
October 15-24 | Navaratri (Hindu)* |
October 18 | Milad Imam-uz-Zamaan (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
October 20 | Installation of the Scriptures as Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh) Birth of B’ab (Bah’i) |
October 31 | Samhain (Wicca) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
November 1 | All Saints’ Day (Christian) |
November 2 | All Souls’ Day (Christian) |
November 3 | Milad Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
November 12 |
|
November 13 | Goverdhan Puja (Hindu)* |
November 15 | Nativity Fast begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian) Ascension of ‘Abdul’l Baha (Baha’i) |
November 21 | The Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
November 24 | Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Sikh) |
November 26 | Day of Covenant (Baha’i)` |
November 27 | Guru Nanak Dev Ji Birthday (Sikh) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
December 3 | First Sunday of Advent (Christian) |
December 8 | Immaculate Conception (Christian) Bodhi Day (Buddhist) |
December 8-15 | Hanukkah (Jewish) |
December 21 |
|
December 25 |
|
December 26 |
|
Date | Observance |
---|---|
January 1 |
|
January 3-10 | Holy Convocation (Church of God and Saints of Christ) |
January 5 | Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (Sikh) |
January 6 |
|
January 7 | Feast of the Nativity (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
January 13 |
|
January 15 | Makar Sankranti and Pongal (Hindu)* |
January 24 | World Religion Day (Baha’i) |
January 25 |
|
January 29 | Urus – Syedna Taher Saifuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
February 2 |
|
February 6 | Yawm al-Mab’ath (Islam Dawoodi Bohra) |
February 7 | Lailat al Miraj (Islam)* |
February 10 | Chinese/Lunar New Year (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist) |
February 12-21 | Midwinter Ceremonies (Native American)* |
February 13 | Shrove Tuesday (Christian) |
February 14 |
|
February 15 | Nirvana Day (Buddhist) |
February 14 | Ash Wednesday (Christian) |
February 25 | Lailat al Bara’ah (Islam)* |
February 26 – March 1 | Intercalary Days (Baha'i) |
February 29 | Jonah’s Passover (Eastern Orthodox Church) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
March 8 | Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)* |
March 10 – April 9 | Ramadan (Islam) |
March 13 | L. Ron Hubbard’s Birthday (Church of Scientology) |
March 14 | Meena Sankranthi (Hindu)* |
March 18 |
|
March 21 |
|
March 24 |
|
March 25 |
|
March 25-27 | Hola Mohalla (Sikh)* |
March 26 | Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian) |
March 28 |
|
March 29 | Holy Friday (Christian) |
March 31 | Easter (Christian) |
March 31-April 1 | Laylatul Qadr (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
April 1 |
|
April 5 | Aakhir Jumo’a (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
April 6 | Laylatul Qadr (Islam)* |
April 9 |
|
April 10 | Eid al Fitr (Islam)* |
April 13-20 | Memorial Feast of the Lords Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread (Church of God and Saints of Christ) |
April 14 | Vaisakhi (Sikh) |
April 17 | Ramnavami (Hindu)* |
April 18 | Prakash Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sikh) |
April 21 |
|
April 22-30 |
|
April 23 |
|
April 23-19 | Days of Unleavened Bread (Philadelphia Church of God) |
April 13-20 | Passover/Days of Unleavened Bread (Church of God and Saints of Christ) |
April 24-26 | Theravadin New Year (Buddhist) |
April 25 | The 11th Panchen Lama’s Birthday (Buddhist) |
April 27 | Lazarus Saturday (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
April 28 |
|
April 29 | Last Day of Unleavened Bread (Church of God) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
May 1 |
|
May 2 | Holy Thursday (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
May 3 |
|
May 5 | Easter (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
May 6 | Bright Monday (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
May 9 | Ascension of Our Lord (Christian) |
May 13 | Yom Ha’Azmaut (Jewish) |
May 15 | Buddha’s Birthday/Buddha Day* |
May 19 | Pentecost (Christian) |
May 22 | Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i) |
May 23 | Visakha Puja (Buddhist) |
May 26 | Lag B’Omer (Jewish) |
May 29 | Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
June 12-13 | Shavuot (Jewish) |
June 13 | Feast of Ascension (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
June 15 | Yawm al-Arafa (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
June 16 |
|
June 24 |
|
Angelica Allen-McMillan, Ed.D., Acting Commissioner Kathy Goldenberg, President Acting Secretary, N.J. State Board of Education N.J. State Board of Education
WHEREAS, according to N.J.S.A. 18A:36-14 through 16 and N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.3(j), regarding
student absence from school because of religious holidays, the Commissioner of Education, with the
approval of the State Board of Education, is charged with the responsibility of prescribing such rules and
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of the law; and
WHEREAS, the law provides that:1. Any student absent from school because of a religious holiday may not be deprived of
any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award because of such
absence;
2. Students who miss a test or examination because of absence on a religious holiday must
be given the right to take an alternate test or examination;
3. To be entitled to the privileges set forth above, the student must present a written excuse
signed by a parent or person standing in place of a parent;
4. Any absence because of a religious holiday must be recorded in the school register or
in any group or class attendance record as an excused absence;
5. Such absence must not be recorded on any transcript or application or employment
form or on any similar form; and
6. The Commissioner, with the approval of the State Board of Education, is required to:
(a) prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes
of this act; and
(b) prepare a list of religious holidays on which it shall be mandatory to excuse a
student. The list, however, is to be a minimum list. Boards of education, at their
discretion, may add other days to the list for the schools of their districts; and
WHEREAS, the New Jersey Department of Education makes every attempt to ensure the accuracy
of the dates using the lunar, Gregorian and Julian calendars; and
WHEREAS, the district board of education has the right to add any bona fide religious holiday to
the list for its own schools;
WHEREAS, dates within this resolution may not be fixed before the State Board adopts the annual
calendar and may require additional revision; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the State Board of Education permits the Commissioner of Education, after
annual adoption by the State Board of Education, to revise the dates provided in list of religious holidays;
and be it further
RESOLVED, that the State Board of Education adopts the following list of religious holidays for
the 2022 - 2023 school year:
Date | Observance |
---|---|
July 8 | Yawm al-Arafa (Islam Dawoodi Bohara)* |
July 9 |
|
July 7-12 | Hajj Day (Islam)* |
July 10 | Eid al Adha (Islam)* |
July 13 |
|
July 17 | Eid-e-Ghadeer (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
July 29 | 1st Muharram (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
July 29-August 7 | Ashara Mubaraka (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
August 1 | Fast in Honor of the Holy Mother of Lord Jesus (Eastern Orthodox Christian and Wicca) |
August 2 | Naga Panchami (Hindu)* |
August 6 |
|
August 7 | Yawm Aashura (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
August 9 | 1st Muharram (Islamic New Year) |
August 11 | Raksha Bandhan (Hindu)* |
August 12 | Ulambana (Buddhist) |
August 13-15 | Obon (Buddhist) |
August 15 |
|
August 19 | Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)* |
August 23-24 | Paryusshana (Jain)* |
August 30 - September 8 | Onam (Hindu)* |
August 31 | Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
September 1 | Ecclesiastical Year begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
September 7 | His Holiness Sakya Trizin's Birthday (Buddhist) |
September 8 | Nativity of Mary (Christian) |
September 16 | Chehlum Imam Hussain (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
September 21 | Nativity of the Theotokos (Eastern Othodox Christian) |
September 21-29 | Mabon (Wicca/Pagan) |
September 26-27 |
|
September 26-October 5 | Navaratri (Hindu)* |
September 27 | The Elevation of the Holy Cross (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
October 5 |
|
October 7 | Milad an-Nabi (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
October 8 | Maulid al-Nabi (Islam)* |
October 9-16 |
|
October 11 | Urus-Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
October 17 | Last Great Day (Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God) |
October 17-18 | Sh’mini Atzeret (Jewish) |
October 18 | Simchat Torah (Jewish) |
October 20 | Installation of the Scriptures as Guru Granth (Sikh) |
October 22-26 | Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Puja, Deepavali and Sikh)* |
October 26 |
|
October 27 | Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) |
October 29 | Milad Imam-uz-Zamaan (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
November 1 |
|
November 2 | All Souls' Day (Christian) |
November 8 | Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Birthday (sikh) |
November 14 | Milad Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
November 21 | Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
November 24 | Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom (Sikh) |
November 26 | Day of Covenant (Baha'i) |
November 27 | First Sunday of Advent (Christian) |
November 28 |
|
Date | Observance |
---|---|
December 8 |
|
December 19-26 | Hanukkah (Jewish) |
December 21 | Yule (Wicca and Christian) |
December 25 |
|
December 26 | Zarathosht Diso (Zoroastrian) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
January 1 |
|
January 3-10 | Holy Convocation (Church of God and Saints of Christ) |
January 5 | Birthday of Guru Gobindh Singh Sahib (Sikh) |
January 6 |
|
January 7 | Feast of the Nativity (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
January 13 | Maghi (Sikh) |
January 15 |
|
January 22 | Chinese/Lunar New Year (Confucian, Daosit, Buddhist) |
January 24-February 2 | Midwinter Ceremonies (Native American) |
January 26 | Vasant Panchami (Hindu)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
February 2 |
|
February 5 | Ayyam al Beez (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
February 6 | Tu B'shvat (Jewish) |
February 9 |
|
February 15 | Nirvana Day (Buddhist) |
February 17 | Yawm al-Mab'ath (Islam Dawoodi Bohra) |
February 18 |
|
February 21 | Shrove Tuesday (Christian) |
February 22 | Ash Wednesday (Christian) |
February 26 -March 1 | Intercalary Days (Baha'i) |
February 27 | Clean Monday (Eastern Othodox Christian |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
March 3 | Govinda Dwadashi (Hindu)* |
March 6 | Holika Dahan (Hindu)* |
March 7 | Purim (Jewish) |
March 8 |
|
March 8-10 | Hola Mohalla (Sikh)* |
March 13 | L. Ron Hubbard's Birthday (Church of Scientology) |
March 14 | Meena Sankranthi (Hindu)* |
March 20 | Ostara (Wicca) |
March 21 |
|
March 22 |
|
March 23- April 21 | Ramadan (Islam) |
March 25 |
|
March 26 | Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian) |
March 30 | Ramnavami (Hindu)* |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
April 2 | Palm Sunday |
April 4 |
|
April 5-13 |
|
April 8 | Visakha Puja (Buddhist) |
April 6 |
|
April 6-8 | Theravadin New Year (Buddhist) |
April 6-12 | Days of Unleavended Bread (Philadelphia Church of God) |
April 7 |
|
April 8 | Lazarus Saturday (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
April 9 |
|
April 10 | Easter Monday |
April 12 | Last Day of Unleavended Bread (Church of God) |
April 12-13 | Laylatul Qadr (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)* |
April 13-20 | Passover/Days of Unleavended Bread (Church of God and Saints of Christ) |
April 13 |
|
April 14 |
|
April 16 | Easter (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
April 17 | Bright Monday (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
April 18 | Laylatul Qadr (Islam)* |
April 21 |
|
April 21 or 22 | Eid al Fitr (Islam)* |
April 25 | The 11th Panchen Lama’s Birthday (Buddhist) |
April 26 | Yom Ha’Azmaut (Jewish) |
April 29 | Ninth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
May 1 | Beltane (Wicca) |
May 2 | Twelfth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i) |
May 9 | Lag B’Omer (Jewish) |
May 18 | Ascension of Our Lord (Christian) |
May 24 | Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i) |
May 25 | Feast of Ascension (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
May 26 | Buddha’s Birthday/Buddha Day* |
May 26-27 | Shavuot (Jewish) |
May 28 | Pentecost (Christian) |
May 29 | Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) |
Date | Observance |
---|---|
June 4 | Pentecost (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
June 12-19 | Fast of the Holy Apostles (Eastern Orthodox Christian) |
June 16 | Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (Sikh) |
June 24 | Litha (Wicca) |