Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

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)1i, 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:
  • 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 2024 - 2025 school year:

July
Observance
July 2 Foundation Stone of Shri Akal Takht Sahib Ji (Sikh)
July 7 1st Muharram (Islamic New Year, Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
July 7–16 Ashara Mubaraka (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
July 9 Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha’i)
July 16 Yawm Aashura (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
July 17 Ashura (Islam)
July 21
  • Guru Purnima
  • Asalha Puja Day (Buddhist)
August
Date Observance
August 1
  • Fast in Honor of the Holy Mother of Lord Jesus (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • Lammas (Christian and Wicca)
August 6 Transfiguration of the Lord (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
August 9 Naga Panchami (Hindu)*
August 13 Tish’a B’Av (Jewish)
August 14–16 Obon (Buddhist)
August 15
  • Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Catholic Christian)
  • Dormition of the Theotokos (Orthodox Christian)
August 18 Ullambana (Buddhist)
August 19 Raksha Bandhan (Hindu)*
August 25 Chehlum Imam Hussain (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
August 26 Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)*
August 31–September 7 Paryushan (Jain)*
September
Date Observance
September 1
  • Ecclesiastical Year begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • First Prakash Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Sikh)
September 5–17 Onam (Hindu)*
September 6 Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu)*
September 7 His Holiness Sakya Trizin’s Birthday (Buddhist)
September 8 Nativity of Mary (Christian)
September 15 Maulid al-Nabi (Islam, Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
September 19 Urus-Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
September 21 Nativity of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
September 23 Mabon (Wicca/Pagan)
September 27
  • Jyoti Jot Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikh)
  • The Elevation of the Holy Cross (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
October
Observance
October 3 Feast of Trumpets (Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God)
October 3–4 Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
October 3–12 Navaratri (Hindu)*
October 7 Milad Imam-uz-Zamaan (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
October 12
  • Yom Kippur (Jewish)
  • Day of Atonement (Christian, Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God)
October 17–23
  • Sukkot (Jewish)
  • Feast of Tabernacles (Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God)
October 20 Installation of the Scriptures as Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh) Birth of B’ab (Bah’i)
October 23 Milad Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
October 24 Last Great Day (Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God)
October 24–25 Sh’mini Atzeret (Jewish)
October 25 Simchat Torah (Jewish)
October 31 Samhain (Wicca)
November
Observance
November 1
  • All Saints Day (Christian)
  • Bandi Chhor Diwas (Sikh)
  • Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Puja and Deepavali)*
November 2
  • All Souls’ Day (Christian)
  • Birth of B’ab (Bah’i)
  • Goverdhan Puja (Hindu)*
November 3 Birth of Baha’u’llah (Bah’i)
November 15 Nativity Fast begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
November 21 The Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
November 24 Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Sikh)
November 25 Day of Covenant (Baha’i)`
November 27 Guru Nanak Dev Ji Birthday (Sikh)
November 28 Ascension of ‘Abdul’l Baha (Baha’i)
December
Observance
December 1 First Sunday of Advent (Christian)
December 8 Bodhi Day (Buddhist)
December 9 Immaculate Conception (Christian)
December 21
  • Yule (Wicca and Christian)
  • Martyrdom of Wadde Sahibzade (Sikh)
December 25 Christmas (Christian)
December 25–January 2 Hanukkah (Jewish)
December 26
  • Zarathosht Diso (Zoroastrian)
  • Martyrdom Chotte Sahibzade (Sikh)
January
Observance
January 1
  • Gantan-sai (Shinto)
  • Mary, Mother of God - Catholic Christian
January 3–10 Holy Convocation (Church of God and Saints of Christ)
January 5 Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (Sikh)
January 6
  • Feast of Epiphany (Christian)
  • Feast of Theophany (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • Nativity of Christ (Armenian Orthodox)
January 7 Feast of the Nativity (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
January 13
  • Maghi-Lohri (Sikh)
  • Foundation of Shri Darbar Sahib (Maghi)
January 14
  • Makar Sankranti and Pongal (Hindu)*
  • Ayyam al Beez (Islam Dawoodi Borha)*
January 18 Urus – Syedna Taher Saifuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)
January 19 World Religion Day (Baha’i)
January 26 Yawm al-Mab’ath (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
January 27 Lailat al Miraj (Islam)*
January 29 Chinese/Lunar New Year (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist)
January 31–February 9 Midwinter Ceremonies (Native American)*
February
Observance
February 1 Imbolic-Candlemas (Wicca and Christian)
February 2
  • The Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • Vasant Panchami (Hindu)*
February 10–12 Jonah’s Passover (Eastern Orthodox Church)
February 13 Tu B’shvat (Jewish)
February 14 Lailat al Bara’ah (Islam)*
February 15 Nirvana Day (Buddhist)
February 26 Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)*
February 26 – March 1 Intercalary Days (Baha'i)
February 28–March 30 Ramadan (Islam)
March
Observance
March 3 Clean Monday (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
March 4 Shrove Tuesday (Christian)
March 5 Ash Wednesday (Christian)
March 10 Govinda Dwadashi (Hindu)*
March 13
  • Holika Dahan (Hindu)*
  • Ron Hubbard’s Birthday (Church of Scientology)
March 14
  • Holi (Hindu)*
  • Meena Sankranthi (Hindu)*
  • Purim (Jewish)
March 15–16
  • Hola Mohalla (Sikh)*
March 18 Shahadat – Amirul Mumineen (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
March 20
  • Naw-Ryz (Baha’i)
  • Nowruz (Zoroastrian)
  • Ostara (Wicca)
March 21–22 Laylatul Qadr (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
March 22 Milad Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
March 25
  • The Annunciation of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary (Christian)
March 26
  • Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian)
  • Laylatul Qadr (Islam)*
March 28 Aakhir Jumo’a (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
March 30
  • Souramana Yugadi (Hindu)*
  • Chandramana Yugadi (Hindu)*
  • Eid al-Fitr (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
March 31 Eid al-Fitr (Islam)*
April
Observance
April 6 Ramnavami (Hindu)*
April 10 Mahavir Jayanti (Jain)*
April 12
  • Hanuman Jayanti (Hindu)*
  • Lazarus Saturday (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • Lord’s Evening Meal (Jehovah’s Witness)
April 12–20
  • Passover (Jewish)
  • Passover (United Church of God)
  • Passover/Days of Unleavened Bread (Church of God and Saints of Christ)
April 13
  • Vaisakhi (Sikh)
  • First Day of Unleavened Bread (Church of God)
  • Theravadin New Year (Buddhist)
  • Palm Sunday  (Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian)
April 13–19 Days of Unleavened Bread (Philadelphia Church of God)
April 17
  • Holy Thursday (Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • The Lord’s Evening Meal (Christian)
April 18
  • Prakash Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sikh)
  • Holy Friday (Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian)
  • The Last Friday of the Great Lent (Eastern Orthodox Church)
April 19 Last Day of Unleavened Bread (Church of God)
April 20 Easter (Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian)
April 21
  • Easter Monday (Christian)
  • First Day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
  • Bright Monday (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
April 23–29 Memorial Feast of the Lords Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread (Church of God and Saints of Christ)
April 25 The 11th Panchen Lama’s Birthday (Buddhist)
April 29 Ninth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
May
Observance
May 1
  • Beltane (Wicca)
  • Twelfth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
May 3 Yom Ha’Azmaut (Jewish)
May 5 Buddha’s Birthday/Buddha Day*
May 12 Visakha Puja (Buddhist)
May 16 Lag B’Omer (Jewish)
May 23 Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
May 28 Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
May 29
  • Ascension of Our Lord (Christian)
  • Feast of Ascension (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
June
Date Observance
June 1–3 Shavuot (Jewish)
June 4–9 Hajj Day (Islam)*
June 5 Yawm al-Arafa (Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
June 6 Eid al-Adha (Islam, Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
June 8
  • Pentecost (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
June 14 Eid-e-Ghadeer (Muslim, Islam Dawoodi Bohra)*
June 16
  • Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (Sikh)
  • Fast of the Holy Apostles (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
June 20 Litha (Wicca)

* Disclaimer: New Jersey Department of Education has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of the dates. The information has been verified through the use of various sources and some dates may vary due to the lunar, Gregorian and Julian calendars.

Kevin Dehmer, Commissioner
Acting Secretary, N.J. State Board of Education

Kathy Goldenberg, President
N.J. State Board of Education