(a) Except as otherwise provided, the public schools shall close on the following holidays:
(1) January 1.
(2) The third Monday in January or the Monday or Friday in the week in which January 15 occurs, known as “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.” On the Friday preceding the day on which schools are closed, schools shall include exercises commemorating and directing attention to the history of the civil rights movement in the United States and particularly the role therein of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
(3) The Monday or Friday of the week in which February 12 occurs, known as “Lincoln Day.” On the day that school is in session prior to the day on which schools are closed for that purpose, all public schools and educational institutions throughout the state shall hold exercises in memory of Abraham Lincoln.
(4) The third Monday in February, known as “Washington Day.” On the Friday preceding, all public schools and educational institutions throughout the state shall hold exercises in memory of George Washington.
(5) The last Monday in May, known as “Memorial Day.”
(6) July 4.
(7) The first Monday in September, known as “Labor Day.”
(8) November 11, known as “Veterans Day.”
(9) That Thursday in November proclaimed by the President as “Thanksgiving Day.”
(10) December 25.
(11) All days appointed by the Governor for a public fast, thanksgiving, or holiday, and all special or limited holidays on which the Governor provides that the schools shall close.
(12) All days appointed by the President as a public fast, thanksgiving, or holiday, unless it is a special or limited holiday.
(13) Any other day designated as a holiday by the governing board of the school district.
(b) When any of the holidays on which the schools would be closed falls on Sunday, the public schools shall close on the Monday following.
(c) When any of the holidays on which the schools would be closed falls on Saturday, the public schools shall close on the preceding Friday, and that Friday shall be declared a state holiday.
(d) If any holiday on which the public schools are required to close pursuant to subdivision (a) occurs under federal law on a date different from the date specified in subdivision (a), the governing board of any school district may close the public schools of the district on the date recognized by federal law and maintain classes on the date specified in subdivision (a).
(e) Except for Veterans Day, as designated in paragraph (8) of subdivision (a), the governing board of a school district, by adoption of a resolution, may revise the date upon which the schools of the district close in observance of any of the holidays identified in subdivision (a).
(f) The governing board of a school district may not request a waiver of paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) from the state board.
(g) This section does not prohibit a school district from authorizing its facilities or grounds to be used in accordance with Section 38131 on those days on which the public schools are closed.
(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 130, Sec. 66. Effective January 1, 2008.)