Florida Schools observe Labor Day Holiday; Columbus Day Dates Vary by District
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Public schools across Florida are closed today, September 2, 2024, in observance of the Labor Day holiday, providing a three-day weekend for students, teachers, adn staff. With the start of the 2024-2025 academic year underway, this federal holiday marks the first important break in the school calendar for many districts. Attention now shifts to the upcoming Columbus Day holiday, where observance-and thus school closures-are not uniform statewide.
While Labor Day consistently results in a statewide school holiday, Columbus Day, officially designated as indigenous Peoples’ Day by some, is determined at the district level. Several Florida counties have already released their 2025-2026 calendars, revealing differing approaches to the October 13th holiday. St. Johns,St. Lucie, Suwannee, and Union counties have designated Monday, October 13, 2025, as a teacher planning or work day, resulting in no school for students. Volusia County has scheduled a teacher duty day for the same date.Taylor County schools will be open on October 13, 2025, with staff participating in professional learning on october 15. Walton County students return to classes on October 13, following a teacher work day on October 10. Washington County has designated October 13 as a “Fall Day,” with schools closed.
These varying schedules underscore the localized control Florida school districts maintain over their academic calendars. Parents and students are encouraged to consult their individual district’s calendar, available on their respective websites, for specific holiday observances and school closures. A state list of district homepages can be found on the Florida Department of Education website:
