How many school days are in a year?
The median U.S. school district we read teaches 177 days a year, counted from its own published calendar: weekdays from the first day to the last, minus every closure. The count covers 602 districts in 39 states, each with a complete calendar. Not shown: 19 counts more than five days above the state’s own minimum, or above 185 where we have not read the rule, because such a calendar is missing closures. Among the 16 states with at least 10 districts counted, New Jersey has the longest median year (182 days) and Oklahoma the shortest (167).
How many school days in each state?
States ordered by the median district’s count; a state gets a median only with at least 10 districts counted. Where we have read the state’s own rule, it is shown beside the count; because the rule sets a minimum, a count below it most likely means a gap in what the district published. A count more than 5 days above that minimum, or above 185 where we have not read the rule, is not shown: the calendar is missing closures.
| State | Median days | Range | Districts counted | State rule (where read) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 182 | 176–185 | 54 | — |
| California | 181 | 180–184 | 35 | — |
| New York | 181 | 173–184 | 22 | — |
| Georgia | 179 | 159–182 | 29 | 180 school days |
| Pennsylvania | 179 | 172–185 | 46 | — |
| Michigan | 178 | 172–183 | 70 | — |
| Arkansas | 175 | 167–182 | 30 | — |
| Illinois | 175 | 170–181 | 23 | — |
| West Virginia | 175 | 162–178 | 10 | — |
| Wisconsin | 175 | 173–176 | 11 | — |
| Kentucky | 174 | 168–179 | 13 | — |
| Ohio | 174 | 167–181 | 23 | an hours requirement rather than a day count |
| Iowa | 173 | 166–178 | 13 | — |
| Texas | 171 | 153–185 | 82 | — |
| Kansas | 167 | 159–180 | 26 | — |
| Oklahoma | 167 | 160–172 | 13 | — |
| Alabama | fewer than 10 counted | 176–185 | 6 | 180 days and 1,080 hours |
| Alaska | fewer than 10 counted | 170–177 | 5 | — |
| Arizona | fewer than 10 counted | 179–185 | 8 | — |
| Colorado | fewer than 10 counted | 173–182 | 2 | — |
| Connecticut | fewer than 10 counted | 181–182 | 2 | — |
| Florida | fewer than 10 counted | 178–181 | 5 | — |
| Idaho | fewer than 10 counted | 170–184 | 4 | — |
| Indiana | fewer than 10 counted | 177–182 | 4 | — |
| Massachusetts | fewer than 10 counted | 173–183 | 5 | — |
| Minnesota | fewer than 10 counted | 168–174 | 3 | — |
| Mississippi | fewer than 10 counted | 181–185 | 4 | — |
| Missouri | fewer than 10 counted | 145–183 | 7 | — |
| Nebraska | fewer than 10 counted | 170–180 | 4 | — |
| North Carolina | fewer than 10 counted | 176–177 | 3 | — |
| North Dakota | fewer than 10 counted | 172–177 | 2 | — |
| Oregon | fewer than 10 counted | 163–183 | 6 | — |
| South Carolina | fewer than 10 counted | 180–183 | 5 | a 190-day term |
| South Dakota | fewer than 10 counted | 171–174 | 3 | — |
| Tennessee | fewer than 10 counted | 176–178 | 3 | 180 days of instruction |
| Utah | fewer than 10 counted | 174–177 | 3 | — |
| Virginia | fewer than 10 counted | 173–181 | 6 | — |
| Washington | fewer than 10 counted | 173–182 | 9 | — |
| Wyoming | fewer than 10 counted | 148–183 | 3 | — |
How long is a school year?
The most common ten-day band here is 170–179 days, holding 51% of districts.
Fewer than 160 teaching days is the count for 7 districts, most of them in Texas (3), Georgia (1), Kansas (1), Missouri (1) and Wyoming (1). Of those, 5 districts run a four-day week, as their own calendars show; 1 district comes out below a state minimum we have read, which most likely means a gap in what the district published; and 1 district is in a state whose rule we have not read, so we do not say why.
| Teaching days | Districts | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 140–149 | 2 | 0% |
| 150–159 | 5 | 1% |
| 160–169 | 72 | 12% |
| 170–179 | 308 | 51% |
| 180–189 | 215 | 36% |
Every state in one line
Alabama: no median across 6 districts counted; shortest Jefferson County Board of Education (176), longest Birmingham City (185); the state requires 180 days and 1,080 hours.
Alaska: no median across 5 districts counted; shortest Nenana City (170), longest Yukon–Koyukuk (177).
Arizona: no median across 8 districts counted; shortest Kayenta Unified (179), longest Joseph City Unified (185).
Arkansas: median 175 days across 30 districts counted; shortest Mammoth Spring (167), longest Rivercrest (182).
California: median 181 days across 35 districts counted; shortest Arcata (180), longest Rowland Unified (184).
Colorado: no median across 2 districts counted; shortest Lewis-Palmer School District 38 (173), longest Fremont RE-2 (182).
Connecticut: no median across 2 districts counted; shortest Windsor Public (181), longest Hartford Public (182).
Florida: no median across 5 districts counted; shortest Indian River County (178), longest Alachua County Public (181).
Georgia: median 179 days across 29 districts counted; shortest Murray County (159), longest Echols County (182); the state requires 180 school days.
Idaho: no median across 4 districts counted; shortest Twin Falls (170), longest Minidoka County (184).
Illinois: median 175 days across 23 districts counted; shortest Tri-Valley Community Unit School District 3 (170), longest Franklin Park School District 84 (181).
Indiana: no median across 4 districts counted; shortest Peru Community (177), longest Alexandria Community School Corporation (182).
Iowa: median 173 days across 13 districts counted; shortest Clay Central–Everly Community (166), longest IKM–Manning Community (178).
Kansas: median 167 days across 26 districts counted; shortest Fort Scott USD 234 (159), longest Dexter USD 471 (180).
Kentucky: median 174 days across 13 districts counted; shortest Caverna Independent (168), longest Owensboro Public (179).
Massachusetts: no median across 5 districts counted; shortest Plymouth Public (173), longest Melrose Public (183).
Michigan: median 178 days across 70 districts counted; shortest Plainwell Community (172), longest Columbia (183).
Minnesota: no median across 3 districts counted; shortest Houston Public (168), longest Pipestone Area (174).
Mississippi: no median across 4 districts counted; shortest Lauderdale County (181), longest Senatobia Municipal (185).
Missouri: no median across 7 districts counted; shortest Southwest R-1 (145), longest Nodaway-Holt R-VII (183).
Nebraska: no median across 4 districts counted; shortest Southern School District 1 (170), longest Sandhills Public (180).
New Jersey: median 182 days across 54 districts counted; shortest Seaside Heights (176), longest Vernon Township (185).
New York: median 181 days across 22 districts counted; shortest Starpoint Central (173), longest South Seneca (184).
North Carolina: no median across 3 districts counted; shortest Macon County (176), longest Clay County (177).
North Dakota: no median across 2 districts counted; shortest Rolette Public School District No. 29 (172), longest New Salem Public (177).
Ohio: median 174 days across 23 districts counted; shortest United Local (167), longest Grand Valley Local (181); the state requires an hours requirement rather than a day count.
Oklahoma: median 167 days across 13 districts counted; shortest Commerce Public (160), longest Norman Public (172).
Oregon: no median across 6 districts counted; shortest Jewell (163), longest Harrisburg (183).
Pennsylvania: median 179 days across 46 districts counted; shortest William Penn (172), longest Erie City (185).
South Carolina: no median across 5 districts counted; shortest Berkeley County (180), longest School District of Pickens County (183); the state requires a 190-day term.
South Dakota: no median across 3 districts counted; shortest Lennox (171), longest Pierre (174).
Tennessee: no median across 3 districts counted; shortest Monroe County (176), longest Hawkins County (178); the state requires 180 days of instruction.
Texas: median 171 days across 82 districts counted; shortest Decatur Independent (153), longest Kennard Independent (185).
Utah: no median across 3 districts counted; shortest Alpine (174), longest Iron County (177).
Virginia: no median across 6 districts counted; shortest Henrico County Public (173), longest Halifax County Public (181).
Washington: no median across 9 districts counted; shortest Zillah (173), longest Enumclaw (182).
West Virginia: median 175 days across 10 districts counted; shortest Clay County (162), longest Hardy County (178).
Wisconsin: median 175 days across 11 districts counted; shortest Platteville (173), longest Walworth Joint School District 1 (176).
Wyoming: no median across 3 districts counted; shortest Albany County School District Number 1 (148), longest Sublette County School District Number 9 (183).
The shortest and longest school years
Across every district we counted, these are the fifteen shortest and the fifteen longest years. A year this short can be a four-day week, an hours rule or a gap in what the district published; the district’s own page is the place to check which.
| District | State | Teaching days |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest R-1 | Missouri | 145 |
| Albany County School District Number 1 | Wyoming | 148 |
| Decatur Independent | Texas | 153 |
| New Waverly Independent | Texas | 154 |
| Terrell Independent | Texas | 157 |
| Fort Scott USD 234 | Kansas | 159 |
| Murray County | Georgia | 159 |
| Commerce Public | Oklahoma | 160 |
| Leverett's Chapel Independent | Texas | 160 |
| Pawhuska Public | Oklahoma | 160 |
| Vega Independent | Texas | 160 |
| Aline-Cleo Independent | Oklahoma | 162 |
| Clay County | West Virginia | 162 |
| Holcomb USD 363 | Kansas | 162 |
| Anderson-Shiro Consolidated Independent | Texas | 163 |
| District | State | Teaching days |
|---|---|---|
| Vernon Township | New Jersey | 185 |
| Senatobia Municipal | Mississippi | 185 |
| Kennard Independent | Texas | 185 |
| Joseph City Unified | Arizona | 185 |
| Erie City | Pennsylvania | 185 |
| Birmingham City | Alabama | 185 |
| Athens Independent | Texas | 185 |
| Wyckoff | New Jersey | 184 |
| Westwood Regional | New Jersey | 184 |
| Wayne Public | New Jersey | 184 |
| Union Township | New Jersey | 184 |
| South Seneca | New York | 184 |
| School District of the Chathams | New Jersey | 184 |
| Rowland Unified | California | 184 |
| Rochelle Independent | Texas | 184 |
How the count is made
We count weekdays from each district’s first day of school to its last day, and subtract every day its calendar marks as a break, holiday or staff day with no students. Snow days and make-up days added later are not in the count, and a district on an hours rule may teach fewer days by design.