Florida law lists Veterans Day as a legal holiday, but Orange County students still have school on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The next break is Thanksgiving week, and two of those days sit on the district's severe weather make up list.
No. Orange County Public Schools is open for students on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The official 2026 to 2027 OCPS school calendar, checked October 29, 2026, does not list November 11, 2026, as a student holiday, and the next scheduled days off are Thanksgiving break, Monday, November 23, 2026, through Friday, November 27, 2026. Some calendar sites not run by OCPS list November 11, 2026, as a day off, but the district's own calendar does not.
Why isn't Veterans Day a day off at OCPS?
Florida law and the school calendar answer two different questions. Section 683.01, Florida Statutes, lists “Veterans’ Day, November 11” among Florida's legal holidays. That same list includes General Election Day, and OCPS holds class on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, too.
The power to set school holidays sits with each district school board. Section 1001.42, Florida Statutes, tells district school boards to "designate the observance of school holidays and vacation periods." The Orange County School Board's 2026 to 2027 calendar did not designate November 11, 2026, as one.
What does the school day look like on November 11, 2026?
November 11, 2026, falls on a Wednesday, and every Wednesday at OCPS is an early release day unless the district notes otherwise, according to the OCPS Student Ridership Information page checked October 29, 2026. Buses run one hour earlier on Wednesdays.
The district's 2026 to 2027 bell times PDF lists Wednesday dismissal at 2 p.m. for most elementary schools, 2:54 p.m. for most middle schools and 1:10 p.m. for most high schools. That file is labeled a draft dated May 5, 2026, and it is still the latest bell times file OCPS has posted as of October 30, 2026, so check your school's own time.
Bus riders will feel the earlier schedule. The ridership page tells families to use the Versatrans My Stop app for bus arrival times, says those times run about two minutes behind because of GPS lag, and asks students to reach the stop 5 to 10 minutes early. The OCPS Transportation call center is 407 317 3800.
What else is closed on Veterans Day 2026 in Orange County?
It depends on who runs the office. Florida state offices close. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles lists Wednesday, November 11, 2026, on its holiday closure schedule for state offices, checked October 30, 2026. That agency notes that some driver license and tag services are run by county tax collectors, which set their own hours.
City of Orlando offices stay open. Veterans Day is not on the city's observed holidays list for 2026, checked October 30, 2026, so City Hall at 400 South Orange Avenue keeps normal hours. The city also says Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day are the only holidays when it skips residential garbage pickup.
Families who want to mark the day together have a weekend option. The City of Orlando's 27th annual Veterans Day Parade is Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting and ending at Lake Nona Town Center, 6955 Lake Nona Boulevard. It is free.
Is OCPS open on Election Day, November 3, 2026?
Yes. Tuesday, November 3, 2026, is a regular school day. It is not a holiday or teacher workday on the 2026 to 2027 calendar.
When is the next day off for OCPS students?
Thanksgiving break is the next one.
Here are the student days off the 2026 to 2027 calendar lists from now through the end of the school year:
Thanksgiving break: Monday, November 23, 2026, through Friday, November 27, 2026.
Winter break: Monday, December 21, 2026, through Friday, January 1, 2027.
Teacher workday and student holiday: Monday, January 4, 2027.
Martin Luther King Jr. holiday: Monday, January 18, 2027, with schools and district offices closed.
Presidents' Day: Monday, February 15, 2027, with schools closed and district offices open.
Teacher workday and student holiday: Friday, March 12, 2027.
Spring break: Monday, March 15, 2027, through Friday, March 19, 2027.
Teacher professional day and student holiday: Friday, April 23, 2027.
Last day of school: Wednesday, May 26, 2027.
Could OCPS take back part of Thanksgiving break?
Only after other options run out. The calendar's severe weather make up list names Monday, November 23, 2026, and Tuesday, November 24, 2026, as the third and fourth priority make up days if storms close schools.
The first two priorities are Presidents' Day, February 15, 2027, and the April 23, 2027, student holiday. The calendar says the superintendent may first waive part of the make up time or use alternatives such as extended Wednesdays or a longer school year to meet the state's required instructional hours.
Families booking Thanksgiving travel should read that list before paying for nonrefundable Monday or Tuesday departures.
Will OCPS be closed for Veterans Day 2027?
Not on the calendar the district has already posted. The 2027 to 2028 OCPS district calendar, checked October 30, 2026, does not list Thursday, November 11, 2027, as a holiday. Thanksgiving break that year runs Monday, November 22, 2027, through Friday, November 26, 2027, and the first day of school is Tuesday, August 10, 2027.
That calendar also handles storm days differently. Instead of a priority list of holidays, it says make up days needed after a waiver or extended minutes "will be added to the end of the school year."
If you are already planning 2027 to 2028 travel, the same calendar lists these student breaks:
Winter break: Monday, December 20, 2027, through Friday, December 31, 2027, with Monday, January 3, 2028, a teacher workday and student holiday.
Martin Luther King Jr. holiday: Monday, January 17, 2028.
Presidents' Day: Monday, February 21, 2028.
Teacher workday and student holiday: Friday, March 10, 2028.
Spring break: Monday, March 13, 2028, through Friday, March 17, 2028.
Teacher professional day and student holiday: Friday, April 21, 2028.
Last day of school: Wednesday, May 24, 2028.
Those are the posted dates as of October 30, 2026. Recheck the PDF before you book.
OCPS links the 2026 to 2027 calendar from its Calendars menu. The district's main number is 407 317 3200.