Most schools in the U.S. are closed on Presidents Day, but it’s not guaranteed everywhere, so you always need to check your local district’s calendar.

Quick Scoop

  • Presidents Day is a federal holiday, always on the third Monday in February.
  • Many public K–12 districts and a lot of private schools treat it as a day off.
  • Some districts stay open or use it as a make‑up day if they’ve had weather closures earlier in the year.
  • Colleges and universities are more mixed: some cancel classes, others run a normal schedule.

Think of it like this: banks and federal offices are almost always closed, but schools follow their own calendars.

What usually happens

  • Large city and suburban districts often close, especially in places that line up with federal holidays.
  • Certain areas may have school that day but use it for teacher professional development or an e‑learning day instead of regular classes.
  • In snowy regions, districts sometimes keep school open on Presidents Day to make up for January/February snow days.

A recent example: in Indianapolis and surrounding districts, most public and private schools are scheduled to be closed for Presidents Day 2026, while a handful are specifically open to make up for snow days. In Los Angeles Unified School District, Presidents Day 2026 is a scheduled holiday and schools are closed.

Why it varies

  • School calendars are set locally (districts, dioceses, or private school boards), not by the federal government.
  • Districts juggle required instructional days, teacher training days, local traditions, and weather patterns when deciding if Presidents Day is off.
  • Some systems prefer a longer mid‑winter break that happens to include Presidents Day, others just give the single day.

This is why you’ll see one district off all weekend, another on a short “winter break,” and a neighboring one still holding classes.

How to know for sure

Here’s the practical checklist:

  1. Look up your district or school’s 2025–2026 calendar and find the third Monday in February (Presidents Day).
  1. Check notes like “holiday,” “no school,” “professional development day,” or “make‑up day.”
  1. If it’s not obvious, watch for district emails/texts or social posts as the date gets close.
  1. For colleges, check the academic calendar under “holidays” or “no classes.”

When in doubt: assume many schools are closed, but don’t plan childcare or travel until you’ve checked your specific school’s calendar.

Bottom line: Presidents Day is a federal holiday, and many—but not all—schools close for it, so you need to confirm with your own school or district to be sure.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.