Do schools typically close on Columbus Day?

Many schools close on Columbus Day, but school policies vary from state to state; for example, New York observes Columbus Day but South Dakota does not. Check with individual schools or school districts to find out their specific policies and hours of operation.

Americans observe Columbus Day on the second Monday in October; the federal holiday commemorates the anniversary of explorer Christopher Columbus' landing in the Americas on Oct. 12, 1492. Some cities and localities hold an Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, since settlement by Columbus and other Europeans led to the death and displacement of many indigenous people.