American School Holidays 2026 & 2027
Explore official American school holiday dates by state using our interactive map and directory.
American school breaks for 2025, 2026 & 2027 in each state
Select a state on the map below or in the directory to find holiday dates.
U.S. State Directory
Browse school holiday calendars for each state across the United States.
U.S. school holiday planning guides
Planning for 2026 or 2027? Every state page already includes 2027-2028 dates alongside 2026-2027 — pick a guide below or browse all states.
More break-by-break guides: View all guides
District calendars, transcribed from each district's own published calendar:
- Houston ISD
- Dallas ISD
- Austin ISD
- Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
- Northside ISD
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
- Prince William County Schools
- Virginia Beach City Public Schools
- Los Angeles Unified
- San Diego Unified
- Clark County School District
- Miami-Dade County Public Schools
- Broward County Public Schools
- Chicago Public Schools
- Gwinnett County Public Schools
- NYC Public Schools
Each district page cites its source. Read more about how we source school calendar dates.
Original research from our own calendar data:
How we source these school calendar dates
State pages show planning windows for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. That is because roughly 13,000 U.S. school districts each set their own calendar. District pages are transcribed from the district's own published calendar, and every one cites its source. Federal holidays are computed from their legal definitions.
Read how we source and correct school calendar dates, or see the research built from our district data.
American school breaks explained
Learn when American schools start and finish, how long each school break is, and how the US school calendar works.
When does the American school year start and end?
School usually starts in August or early September and ends in late May or early June.
How long are American school holidays?
Depending on the break, short American breaks are 1 week or less. Long American school holidays (like summer) are 8 - 12 weeks.
How many weeks of school holidays in America?
American students usually get about 12 - 14 weeks of school holidays in the whole year.
How long is summer break in America?
American summer holidays are typically 8 to 12 weeks.
How long is spring break in America?
Spring holidays are usually 1 week (sometimes a bit shorter or longer).
How long is winter break in America?
Winter holidays are usually 1 to 2 weeks, around Christmas and New Year.
When is summer break in America?
Summer holidays usually start in late May or early June and end in August or early September.
When does the American school year end?
Most American schools finish in late May or early June.
How do American school holidays work?
The American school year is split into terms (semesters), with three short breaks (fall, winter, spring) and one long summer break.
How many school holidays does America have?
Most American schools have summer break, winter break, spring break, and a few short holidays during the year.
Why are American summer holidays so long?
American summer holidays historically matched agricultural schedules and hot summers. Today, this tradition and scheduling are still on.
When do Americans start school?
Most American students start school in August or early September.
When are school holidays in America?
Common school breaks are:
- •Winter break: from late December to early January
- •Spring break: March or April
- •Summer break: from late May/June to August/September
- •Plus a few short holidays during the school year
How many weeks is summer break in America?
American summer holidays are usually 8 - 12 weeks.
What month does school start in America?
School most often starts in August or September.
American school holidays vs Australia
Australian schools follow a different school holiday schedule to the U.S., where we have one long summer break and a few short breaks.
Australian schools have four school holidays: a longer summer holiday (from late December to January or February), and three shorter breaks - Autumn (March/April), Winter (June/July), and Spring (September/October). You can see the full dates on the Australian school holidays website.