2026-2027 calendar updates

[Anonymous]

Curious what the teachers union thinks about starting 1 week earlier. Teachers who do summer school will only get 1 week off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The PPT is finally posted for this part of the meeting: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DT7SZF751736/$file/Proposed%20Amendments%202026-2027%20SY%20Calendar%20PPT%20260416.pdf

Thank you for sharing this. I am forwarding to everyone I know. There’s not a single person I have spoken to who thinks this is the best option at this point. I’m not against an earlier start, but people have made their plans and teachers will and should call out if they have a conflict, making it the worst start to the school year ever

[Anonymous]

There is something fishy here.

I cannot imagine MCPS in good faith thinks this is the best plan. They have some kind of angle... whether it is to get the teachers to give up their planning days, or wanting to be "forced" into cutting spring break or the holidays rather than actively proposing it, or getting people to yell at MSDE, or simply wanting to stir up controversy to distract from something else going on (the new math curriculum? The lunch price increases? Something else?)

Which of those things is actually their motive, or whether it's something else, I couldn't say. But there is clearly some ulterior motive (no one in good faith would say they can't support having as-needed snow days over spring break 11 months from now because people might have already made plans, but that it's totally fine to have start a week earlier, when it's 4 months away, because that's only a minor inconvenience.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Changes to the 2026–2027 school calendar: Due to a Maryland State Board of Education requirement that public school systems end their school years by June 18, 2027, the Board of Education will need to amend the school calendar for 2026–2027. Changes could affect: religious observances, the shortening of winter and/or spring break, or potentially beginning the school year earlier in August.
The Board will take final action at their meeting on April 30

MSDE has lost its ever-loving mind!! What is the rationale for ending it by the 18th of June?!?!

Under Hogan it was the 15th a few years. They should also mandate school to start no later then the last Monday in August, also add the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and December 23 as statewide no school days, remove election day as a holiday. Adjust the requirement to 175-177 days to reduce the number of low or no quality days.

They need Election Day as a holiday. They use schools for the elections.

Make it 1Q grading day or a virtual day or move the elections out of the schools. That day is a far more valuable school day than the day before Thanksgiving, December 23 or anything in summer.

They could easily add the day before Thanksgiving as a 1/2 day. Yet that's not even on the table.

The day before Thanksgiving is useless for school. Many people are out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Changes to the 2026–2027 school calendar: Due to a Maryland State Board of Education requirement that public school systems end their school years by June 18, 2027, the Board of Education will need to amend the school calendar for 2026–2027. Changes could affect: religious observances, the shortening of winter and/or spring break, or potentially beginning the school year earlier in August.
The Board will take final action at their meeting on April 30

MSDE has lost its ever-loving mind!! What is the rationale for ending it by the 18th of June?!?!

Under Hogan it was the 15th a few years. They should also mandate school to start no later then the last Monday in August, also add the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and December 23 as statewide no school days, remove election day as a holiday. Adjust the requirement to 175-177 days to reduce the number of low or no quality days.

They need Election Day as a holiday. They use schools for the elections.

Make it 1Q grading day or a virtual day or move the elections out of the schools. That day is a far more valuable school day then the day before Thanksgiving, December 23 or anything in summer.

Where would you propose they hold elections if they can’t use schools?

Rec Centers, Town Halls, Convention Centers, Hotel meeting rooms. I'd also say religious places like Churches and Synagogues but there is so much hate in the world that it's best to avoid them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Changes to the 2026–2027 school calendar: Due to a Maryland State Board of Education requirement that public school systems end their school years by June 18, 2027, the Board of Education will need to amend the school calendar for 2026–2027. Changes could affect: religious observances, the shortening of winter and/or spring break, or potentially beginning the school year earlier in August.
The Board will take final action at their meeting on April 30

MSDE has lost its ever-loving mind!! What is the rationale for ending it by the 18th of June?!?!

Under Hogan it was the 15th a few years. They should also mandate school to start no later then the last Monday in August, also add the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and December 23 as statewide no school days, remove election day as a holiday. Adjust the requirement to 175-177 days to reduce the number of low or no quality days.

They need Election Day as a holiday. They use schools for the elections.

Make it 1Q grading day or a virtual day or move the elections out of the schools. That day is a far more valuable school day than the day before Thanksgiving, December 23 or anything in summer.

They could easily add the day before Thanksgiving as a 1/2 day. Yet that's not even on the table.

The day before Thanksgiving is useless for school. Many people are out.

The last day is useless. Dec 23 is useless. The point is scheduling school the Wednesday before Thanksgiving would add a day to the calendar without impacting the start or end dates. People can pull their kids out, no problem. Just make it an early dismissal and end this nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Changes to the 2026–2027 school calendar: Due to a Maryland State Board of Education requirement that public school systems end their school years by June 18, 2027, the Board of Education will need to amend the school calendar for 2026–2027. Changes could affect: religious observances, the shortening of winter and/or spring break, or potentially beginning the school year earlier in August.
The Board will take final action at their meeting on April 30

MSDE has lost its ever-loving mind!! What is the rationale for ending it by the 18th of June?!?!

Under Hogan it was the 15th a few years. They should also mandate school to start no later then the last Monday in August, also add the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and December 23 as statewide no school days, remove election day as a holiday. Adjust the requirement to 175-177 days to reduce the number of low or no quality days.

They need Election Day as a holiday. They use schools for the elections.

Make it 1Q grading day or a virtual day or move the elections out of the schools. That day is a far more valuable school day then the day before Thanksgiving, December 23 or anything in summer.

Where would you propose they hold elections if they can’t use schools?

Rec Centers, Town Halls, Convention Centers, Hotel meeting rooms. I'd also say religious places like Churches and Synagogues but there is so much hate in the world that it's best to avoid them.

Growing up we always voted at the fire station.

[Anonymous]

PD days end up being a waste of time for 50% of the staff. They should automatically provide each teacher with 8 hours professional leave and allow teacher to select their own pd that meets their professional goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is something fishy here.

I cannot imagine MCPS in good faith thinks this is the best plan. They have some kind of angle... whether it is to get the teachers to give up their planning days, or wanting to be "forced" into cutting spring break or the holidays rather than actively proposing it, or getting people to yell at MSDE, or simply wanting to stir up controversy to distract from something else going on (the new math curriculum? The lunch price increases? Something else?)

Which of those things is actually their motive, or whether it's something else, I couldn't say. But there is clearly some ulterior motive (no one in good faith would say they can't support having as-needed snow days over spring break 11 months from now because people might have already made plans, but that it's totally fine to have start a week earlier, when it's 4 months away, because that's only a minor inconvenience.).

I had the same thought except that it’s so hidden in this random email and with out the information that this is what they recommended. It’s not publicized enough to serve another motive

[Anonymous]

Teacher lurkers, any word on this from the union? I agree with PP that this seems to be MCPS trying to force the union’s hand here…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how they say that a "challenge" with starting the school year earlier is that "Some community and family expectations may include time off in August"

Can't they just be honest and say many staff and famileis made non-refundable travel plans in August?

And yet their argument against scheduling optional makeup days during spring break is that many families and staff have made travel plans for April 2027 already...

They are so dense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Changes to the 2026–2027 school calendar: Due to a Maryland State Board of Education requirement that public school systems end their school years by June 18, 2027, the Board of Education will need to amend the school calendar for 2026–2027. Changes could affect: religious observances, the shortening of winter and/or spring break, or potentially beginning the school year earlier in August.
The Board will take final action at their meeting on April 30

MSDE has lost its ever-loving mind!! What is the rationale for ending it by the 18th of June?!?!

Under Hogan it was the 15th a few years. They should also mandate school to start no later then the last Monday in August, also add the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and December 23 as statewide no school days, remove election day as a holiday. Adjust the requirement to 175-177 days to reduce the number of low or no quality days.

They need Election Day as a holiday. They use schools for the elections.

Make it 1Q grading day or a virtual day or move the elections out of the schools. That day is a far more valuable school day than the day before Thanksgiving, December 23 or anything in summer.

They could easily add the day before Thanksgiving as a 1/2 day. Yet that's not even on the table.

The day before Thanksgiving is useless for school. Many people are out.

I don't care. It counts as a day. That's all that matters at this point. I'm really angry they are looking to start school a week earlier at this late date. That's completely unfair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so stupid. All they have to do to be in compliance with MSDE while starting on 8/24 (8/17 for teachers) as planned is to drop the transition day and turn any one day in the second semester (like a spring break day, grading day, or holiday/professional day) into a makeup day they'll actually use.

But Taylor likes to assert things confidently and assume they'll trust he's right.

Make 4/22 the makeup date and I celebrate Passover.

Same! The Passover closure is so performative. People who are so observant they don’t work/go to school on Passover (a relatively small share of Jews) would need the first two and last two days off, as those are holy days. One day doesn’t do much for that group and is unnecessary for the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is something fishy here.

I cannot imagine MCPS in good faith thinks this is the best plan. They have some kind of angle... whether it is to get the teachers to give up their planning days, or wanting to be "forced" into cutting spring break or the holidays rather than actively proposing it, or getting people to yell at MSDE, or simply wanting to stir up controversy to distract from something else going on (the new math curriculum? The lunch price increases? Something else?)

Which of those things is actually their motive, or whether it's something else, I couldn't say. But there is clearly some ulterior motive (no one in good faith would say they can't support having as-needed snow days over spring break 11 months from now because people might have already made plans, but that it's totally fine to have start a week earlier, when it's 4 months away, because that's only a minor inconvenience.).

I had the same thought except that it’s so hidden in this random email and with out the information that this is what they recommended. It’s not publicized enough to serve another motive

No, I think that just means that parents at large are not the ones this is aimed at. If you are trying to alarm the teachers (or some other plugged in group, like MCCPTA, or county council, or whoever) but not alarm parents, this is exactly how you would do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so stupid. All they have to do to be in compliance with MSDE while starting on 8/24 (8/17 for teachers) as planned is to drop the transition day and turn any one day in the second semester (like a spring break day, grading day, or holiday/professional day) into a makeup day they'll actually use.

But Taylor likes to assert things confidently and assume they'll trust he's right.

Make 4/22 the makeup date and I celebrate Passover.

Same! The Passover closure is so performative. People who are so observant they don’t work/go to school on Passover (a relatively small share of Jews) would need the first two and last two days off, as those are holy days. One day doesn’t do much for that group and is unnecessary for the rest of us.

Totally agree. It’s nice to have but not necessary and can easily give way to other needs.