42 districts read September 29 – October 8, 2026

First day of school in Illinois, 2026

First day of school 2026 in Illinois: most often the week of August 17–21: 15 of 34 districts we read (44%). Range: August 11–27, 2026. Most common date: August 19, 2026, 8 of the 34.

Districts listed 34 of 42 in Illinois

Most common date August 19; 8 districts start that day

Distinct weeks 3; August 11 to August 27

First day of school in every district

First day of school by district · 2026–2027
District	Dates		Starts	Date	Source
Beach Park Community Consolidated School District 3	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Berwyn North School District 98	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Bethalto Community Unit School District 8	August 12	—	Wednesday	other date	source
Blue Ridge Community Unit School District 18	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Brookwood School District 167	August 20	—	Thursday	other date	source
Cairo Community Unit School District 1	August 13	—	Thursday	other date	source
Center Cass School District 66	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Champaign Unit 4	August 13	—	Thursday	other date	source
Charleston Community Unit School District 1	August 11	—	Tuesday	other date	source
Columbia Community Unit School District 4	August 13	—	Thursday	other date	source
Community Consolidated School District 54	August 17	—	Monday	other date	source
Community Consolidated School District 89	August 20	—	Thursday	other date	source
Cumberland Community Unit School District 77	August 14	—	Friday	other date	source
Dupo Community Unit School District 196	August 13	—	Thursday	other date	source
Effingham Community Unit School District 40	August 12	—	Wednesday	other date	source
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205	August 13	—	Thursday	other date	source
Flossmoor School District 161	August 27	—	Thursday	other date	source
Forest Ridge School District 142	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Franklin Park School District 84	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Geneseo Community Unit School District 228	August 12	—	Wednesday	other date	source
Harrison School District 36	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Indian Creek Community Unit School District 425	August 19	—	Wednesday	most common date	source
Mascoutah Community Unit	August 18	—	Tuesday	other date	source
Oakland Community Unit School District 5	August 11	—	Tuesday	other date	source
Orion Community Unit School District 223	August 12	—	Wednesday	other date	source
River Ridge Community Unit School District 210	August 24	—	Monday	other date	source
Rondout School District 72	August 24	—	Monday	other date	source
Scales Mound Community Unit School District 211	August 26	—	Wednesday	other date	source
Springfield School District 186	August 24	—	Monday	other date	source
Tri-Valley Community Unit School District 3	August 20	—	Thursday	other date	source
Triad Community Unit School District 2	August 13	—	Thursday	other date	source
Wabash Community Unit School District 348	August 14	—	Friday	other date	source
Warsaw Community Unit School District 316	August 17	—	Monday	other date	source
Waukegan Community Unit School District 60	August 17	—	Monday	other date	source

Week by week

Week of August 17–21 · 15 districts (44%)

Beach Park Community Consolidated School District 3, Berwyn North School District 98, Blue Ridge Community Unit School District 18, Brookwood School District 167, Center Cass School District 66, Community Consolidated School District 54, Community Consolidated School District 89, Forest Ridge School District 142, Franklin Park School District 84, Harrison School District 36, Indian Creek Community Unit School District 425, Mascoutah Community Unit, Tri-Valley Community Unit School District 3, Warsaw Community Unit School District 316, Waukegan Community Unit School District 60

Week of August 10–14 · 14 districts (41%)

Bethalto Community Unit School District 8, Cairo Community Unit School District 1, Champaign Unit 4, Charleston Community Unit School District 1, Columbia Community Unit School District 4, Cumberland Community Unit School District 77, Dupo Community Unit School District 196, Effingham Community Unit School District 40, Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205, Geneseo Community Unit School District 228, Oakland Community Unit School District 5, Orion Community Unit School District 223, Triad Community Unit School District 2, Wabash Community Unit School District 348

Week of August 24–28 · 5 districts (15%)

Flossmoor School District 161, River Ridge Community Unit School District 210, Rondout School District 72, Scales Mound Community Unit School District 211, Springfield School District 186

Facts

Districts with a date: 34 of the 42 we read
Without one: Aptakisic-Tripp Community Consolidated School District 102, Community Unit School District 200, East Peoria School District 86, Fisher Community Unit School District 1, Harvey School District 152, Homewood School District 153, Lexington Community Unit School District 7 and Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429
Earliest: Charleston Community Unit School District 1, August 11
Latest: Flossmoor School District 161, August 27
Early release that day: Blue Ridge Community Unit School District 18, Geneseo Community Unit School District 228 and Harrison School District 36
Before Labor Day: 34 of 34
Most common weekday: Wednesday (13)
Most common date, Illinois: August 19
Other states we read: 20 start earlier, 3 the same day, 22 later