Portland Schools adopt 2025-26 calendar adding Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as district holidays

The Portland Board of Public Education on April 8 unanimously approved the 2025–26 school-year calendar, adding Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as district holidays.

Board member Bridal, who introduced the calendar, said the change “seeks to honor, celebrate, and to be responsive to the rich diversity of cultural and religious communities that make up our Portland Public Schools family.”

Why it matters: The calendar change is meant to reduce conflicts between religious observance and class time for students and staff. Board and community members discussed cost and scheduling details, including how the district will treat floating dates when holidays fall on different days each year.

Board discussion and public input: Supporters, including Pius Ali, a Portland city councilor speaking in a personal capacity, urged the board to pass the calendar. Ali said the move “ensures that all students feel valued, included, and supported in their learning environment.” Deering High School students and families also addressed the board; student Khalid Mohammed said missing class for religious holidays had left him “set behind” on work and grades. Muslim Student Association representatives spoke about the importance of the Eid holiday as community recognition, and multiple speakers described the personal and family consequences when the district did not recognize the observance.

Board members asked staff to clarify cost and logistics. Superintendent Scallon told the board the two added paid district days are estimated to cost $65,000 per day and described a plan to cover the expenses through other budget adjustments. Doctor Warren (secretary) and staff explained that the calendar uses built‑in flexibility (similar to practices adopted by Lewiston) to shift professional development days when the exact holiday date moves from year to year.

Vote and next steps: The board approved the calendar by roll call; every voting member—board and student representatives—voted yes. The calendar will be published as the district’s official 2025–26 schedule and used when the district plans staffing, professional development, and school closure logistics.

Community follow-up: Several public speakers asked the district to continue outreach and to clarify whether the district will keep these holidays in future calendars. Board members said the calendar is approved annually and signaled intent to include these holidays going forward while monitoring costs and operational impacts.