By Gawhara Abou-eid

March 19, 2026

As Muslim students observed Ramadan, schools in the Philadelphia district provided a range of accommodations intended to support those who were fasting during the school day, including access to prayer spaces, alternatives during lunch periods and policies allowing excused absences for religious observances.

District guidance encourages schools to support students and staff observing Ramadan while maintaining instructional schedules and working within the physical limits of individual school buildings.

According to Dr. Sabriya Jubilee, chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), schools are encouraged to provide spaces for prayer or meditation when possible. The spaces are open to both students and employees and are not exclusive to those observing Ramadan, though staff members are not permitted to lead students in prayer. The district’s Student Code of Conduct states that all middle and high schools should provide a meditation or quiet room that can be used during non-instructional time or lunch periods for activities such as prayer, reading scriptures or quiet reflection.

Students may engage in recognized religious prayer during school hours inside the building, but the code specifies that prayer should not occur during instructional time in order to minimize academic interruptions. Schools may also require a parent or guardian permission slip allowing a student to participate in religious practices at school.

School leaders are encouraged to communicate available accommodations to students and families through direct outreach and schoolwide messages. During Ramadan, the most common requests from students and staff involve space to perform wudu — the ritual washing before prayer — and time to pray during specific windows of the school day, Jubilee said. Students sometimes also ask for places to sit away from food service areas while fasting or for adjustments in classes that require physical activity.

The district works with families and staff members to meet those needs when possible, though Jubilee said some school buildings lack space that can be dedicated solely to prayer or meditation.

“Over the past four years, through information and resource sharing, schools are better equipped to be responsive to the needs of their community,” Jubilee said, describing the effort as an ongoing process.

Although the guidelines apply across grade levels and school types, accommodations may look different depending on students’ ages and school schedules. High school students may be allowed to leave campus with parental permission to attend Jummah prayers on Fridays, while younger students may be dismissed early for religious observances if families can arrange transportation.

Differences in bell schedules among schools can also affect how accommodations are implemented. If a school cannot meet a requested accommodation, administrators are encouraged to discuss the limitations with students and families and attempt to reach an agreement. Parents who disagree with a decision may appeal through the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or seek assistance from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Jubilee added.

In addition to Ramadan accommodations, SDP schools and administrative offices will be closed in observance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The School District of Philadelphia was the first in Pennsylvania to adopt the practice beginning with the 2016–2017 academic year. Since then, a growing number of more than 16 school districts in the state, including Upper Darby, West Chester and Radnor, have added the holidays to their calendars, according to CAIR-Philadelphia.

For Leena K., a 10th grader at George Washington High School in Northeast Philadelphia, the expansion of accommodations for Muslim students has become more noticeable over time. She said the options available to fasting students have grown since she first entered the school system.

“I think that [the schools] adapted a lot to get more opportunities for kids who are fasting,” she said.

Khalafalla said there were fewer options when she began elementary school, but by the time she started middle school, students who were fasting were able to stay in the auditorium during lunch instead of the cafeteria.

At her high school, fasting students can spend lunch periods in quieter spaces such as the library or auditorium rather than around food service areas, Leena said. Students may also gather for the midday dhuhr prayer around 1 p.m.

“They also… provide us meals before we go home so that we can break our fast with it if we don’t have food at home,” she added.

District officials say the continued expansion of information and resources is intended to strengthen understanding across schools on how best to support Muslim students and employees during Ramadan.

“Over the past few years, we have connected with a number of community partners to provide… guidance on ways to best support those within our organization who are observing Ramadan,” Jubilee said.

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Gawhara Abou-eid is an Egyptian-American researcher and journalist from Lewisburg, PA and an Al-Bustan News media fellow. They hold a BA in International Relations from The George Washington University, with a concentration in International Security Policy. Gawhara has published research for the League of Arab States in Cairo, and their journalism has appeared in The Standard Journal and The News-Item.

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