SchoolDates
960 districts with a winter break in 47 states, read September 29 – October 20, 2026

Winter Break 2026-27 by state

Counted by district: Most common dates: December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027, for 387 of the 960 districts that list one; most last 7 or 10 school days. Of the 997 districts we read, 960 list a winter break. Counted by state: most common dates: December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027, typical in 25 of the 47 states we read. The earliest typical start is December 21 (31 states), the latest December 24 (9 states).

Winter Break 2026-27, state by state

Week of the typical start, by state
47 states in December
Christmas break: includes December 25
954 of 960 districts
Winter Break 2026-27 by state · 2026–2027
StateMost common datesSchool daysDistricts on themStart datesDistricts read
AlabamaDecember 21 to January 1106 of 10December 2110
AlaskaDecember 21 to January 1102 of 6December 217
ArizonaDecember 21 to January 1105 of 10December 18 to December 2110
ArkansasDecember 21 to January 11025 of 56December 17 to January 159
CaliforniaDecember 21 to January 11026 of 50December 18 to December 2352
ColoradoDecember 21 to January 1103 of 4, small sampleDecember 214
GeorgiaDecember 21 to January 11025 of 42December 17 to December 2144
KansasDecember 21 to January 11016 of 37December 18 to December 2439
KentuckyDecember 21 to January 11010 of 14December 2114
MarylandDecember 21 to January 1103 of 4, small sampleDecember 21 to December 244
MichiganDecember 21 to January 11069 of 95December 18 to December 2498
MississippiDecember 21 to January 1108 of 9December 2112
MissouriDecember 21 to January 1104 of 10December 19 to December 2310
MontanaDecember 21 to January 1101 of 1, small sampleDecember 211
NebraskaDecember 21 to January 1102 of 6December 19 to December 236
North DakotaDecember 21 to January 1104 of 8December 19 to December 239
OhioDecember 21 to January 11023 of 36December 19 to December 2338
OklahomaDecember 21 to January 11013 of 22December 18 to December 2123
OregonDecember 21 to January 1107 of 11December 18 to December 2112
South CarolinaDecember 21 to January 1104 of 6December 216
TennesseeDecember 21 to January 1104 of 6December 18 to December 217
TexasDecember 21 to January 11069 of 151December 18 to December 22153
UtahDecember 21 to January 1102 of 3, small sampleDecember 19 to December 213
VirginiaDecember 21 to January 1107 of 7December 217
WashingtonDecember 21 to January 11012 of 13December 19 to December 2113
FloridaDecember 21 to January 4114 of 8December 18 to December 218
IdahoDecember 21 to January 4112 of 4, small sampleDecember 21 to December 234
IllinoisDecember 21 to January 41117 of 38December 18 to December 2342
IndianaDecember 21 to January 4113 of 7December 21 to December 237
New MexicoDecember 21 to January 4112 of 5December 215
LouisianaDecember 21 to January 5122 of 2, small sampleDecember 213
DelawareDecember 23 to January 181 of 1, small sampleDecember 231
IowaDecember 23 to January 189 of 28December 21 to December 2829
MaineDecember 23 to January 181 of 1, small sampleDecember 231
South DakotaDecember 23 to January 183 of 6December 17 to December 247
West VirginiaDecember 23 to January 184 of 11December 17 to December 2411
WisconsinDecember 23 to January 1810 of 14December 21 to December 2414
WyomingDecember 23 to January 182 of 6December 17 to December 236
North CarolinaDecember 24–2834 of 13December 21 to December 2413
ConnecticutDecember 24 to January 173 of 3, small sampleDecember 243
MassachusettsDecember 24 to January 177 of 9December 249
MinnesotaDecember 24 to January 172 of 4, small sampleDecember 23 to December 244
New HampshireDecember 24 to January 171 of 1, small sampleDecember 241
New JerseyDecember 24 to January 1762 of 76December 23 to December 2478
New YorkDecember 24 to January 1722 of 34December 23 to December 2434
PennsylvaniaDecember 24 to January 1743 of 71December 21 to December 2675
Rhode IslandDecember 24 to January 171 of 1, small sampleDecember 241

Which week does winter break start?

Busiest start week
December 21–25 (904 of 960 districts)
Other weeks
56 districts in 2 weeks
Districts by start week · 2026–2027
Start week (Monday)DistrictsShare
December 1453 districts6%
December 21904 districts94%
December 283 districts0%

How long is winter break 2026–27?

Median length
10 school days (960 districts)
Most common lengths
10 school days: 432; 7 school days: 160; 11 school days: 155
Length of winter break · 2026–2027
LengthDistrictsShare
3 school days71%
4 school days71%
5 school days20%
7 school days16017%
8 school days889%
9 school days354%
10 school days43245%
11 school days15516%
12 school days455%
13 school days111%
14 school days10%
15 school days152%
16 school days20%