2026-2027 calendar updates

[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?!?!

If you don’t end by June 18 (and we do currently), then we have the situation we had this year when there’s three or more days of snow (which has happened 4 out of the past five years): (1) you run into Juneteenth and have to skip that; (2) you then are into the week after school was supppsed to end, and you might run into a primary election. So suddenly everyone is pushed deep into the week after school ends just to make up a few days. The schools then whine that nobody wants that, everyone’s angry, and really the whole mess could have been avoided if tje schools just had makeup days in spring when they are most likely to be used.

Everyone will be angry if MCPS extends the school year, regardless on which particular day the last scheduled day of school falls. More importantly, extending the school year has no educational value. It is just something MCPS has done this year and last year to comply with state law. They could have set up the calendar to allow for educationally meaningful makeup days, but they did not prioritize that for the 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27 calendars.

It is more annoying if you have to come back the following week, than if you just finish out the week. This year, school ended on a Wednesday. People are less annoyed about having to come Thursday and Friday, than having to come Thursday, skip Friday and return the following Monday. Or this year, doing that, returning Monday, then taking a day off for primary elections, then coming back Wednesday. It’s more likely people book camps starting the Monday after school ends than the Thursday. So yah, the State Board is right that ending before Juneteenth is better logistically.

I agree with this. They should not have any contingency days that pull them into the following week. So really they should wrap up the year by the 11th.

They aren't planning any usable makeup days before June 11 so unless the weather is pretty mild that is what will happen.

They need to convert the religious holidays to school days, and drop transition day.

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity I went back and found this about the responses to last fall's survey:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/1290999.page

60% of 7000 respondents so far prefer to start one week before Labor Day, and 32% prefer to start two weeks before.
75% of respondents prefer to have 12/23 off.
60% prefer the later full week spring break, 24% prefer the earlier full week, 17% prefer the split weeks.

--

The 2-to-1 preference in favor of starting in later August seems to mirror DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?!?!

If you don’t end by June 18 (and we do currently), then we have the situation we had this year when there’s three or more days of snow (which has happened 4 out of the past five years): (1) you run into Juneteenth and have to skip that; (2) you then are into the week after school was supppsed to end, and you might run into a primary election. So suddenly everyone is pushed deep into the week after school ends just to make up a few days. The schools then whine that nobody wants that, everyone’s angry, and really the whole mess could have been avoided if tje schools just had makeup days in spring when they are most likely to be used.

Everyone will be angry if MCPS extends the school year, regardless on which particular day the last scheduled day of school falls. More importantly, extending the school year has no educational value. It is just something MCPS has done this year and last year to comply with state law. They could have set up the calendar to allow for educationally meaningful makeup days, but they did not prioritize that for the 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27 calendars.

It is more annoying if you have to come back the following week, than if you just finish out the week. This year, school ended on a Wednesday. People are less annoyed about having to come Thursday and Friday, than having to come Thursday, skip Friday and return the following Monday. Or this year, doing that, returning Monday, then taking a day off for primary elections, then coming back Wednesday. It’s more likely people book camps starting the Monday after school ends than the Thursday. So yah, the State Board is right that ending before Juneteenth is better logistically.

I agree with this. They should not have any contingency days that pull them into the following week. So really they should wrap up the year by the 11th.

They aren't planning any usable makeup days before June 11 so unless the weather is pretty mild that is what will happen.

They need to convert the religious holidays to school days, and drop transition day.

I think Taylor would rather reduce grading days. His proposal to change the school start date is a threat to the union. The union should call his bluff and let him own that 5h!t show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?!?!

If you don’t end by June 18 (and we do currently), then we have the situation we had this year when there’s three or more days of snow (which has happened 4 out of the past five years): (1) you run into Juneteenth and have to skip that; (2) you then are into the week after school was supppsed to end, and you might run into a primary election. So suddenly everyone is pushed deep into the week after school ends just to make up a few days. The schools then whine that nobody wants that, everyone’s angry, and really the whole mess could have been avoided if tje schools just had makeup days in spring when they are most likely to be used.

Everyone will be angry if MCPS extends the school year, regardless on which particular day the last scheduled day of school falls. More importantly, extending the school year has no educational value. It is just something MCPS has done this year and last year to comply with state law. They could have set up the calendar to allow for educationally meaningful makeup days, but they did not prioritize that for the 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27 calendars.

It is more annoying if you have to come back the following week, than if you just finish out the week. This year, school ended on a Wednesday. People are less annoyed about having to come Thursday and Friday, than having to come Thursday, skip Friday and return the following Monday. Or this year, doing that, returning Monday, then taking a day off for primary elections, then coming back Wednesday. It’s more likely people book camps starting the Monday after school ends than the Thursday. So yah, the State Board is right that ending before Juneteenth is better logistically.

I agree with this. They should not have any contingency days that pull them into the following week. So really they should wrap up the year by the 11th.

They aren't planning any usable makeup days before June 11 so unless the weather is pretty mild that is what will happen.

They need to convert the religious holidays to school days, and drop transition day.

I think Taylor would rather reduce grading days. His proposal to change the school start date is a threat to the union. The union should call his bluff and let him own that 5h!t show.

Why is Taylor so woke?

Seriously though, I don't understand why cutting grading days or the last week of summer is preferable to cutting Transition Day/Diwali.

They'll have to make 8/20 and 8/21 excused absences, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?!?!

If you don’t end by June 18 (and we do currently), then we have the situation we had this year when there’s three or more days of snow (which has happened 4 out of the past five years): (1) you run into Juneteenth and have to skip that; (2) you then are into the week after school was supppsed to end, and you might run into a primary election. So suddenly everyone is pushed deep into the week after school ends just to make up a few days. The schools then whine that nobody wants that, everyone’s angry, and really the whole mess could have been avoided if tje schools just had makeup days in spring when they are most likely to be used.

Everyone will be angry if MCPS extends the school year, regardless on which particular day the last scheduled day of school falls. More importantly, extending the school year has no educational value. It is just something MCPS has done this year and last year to comply with state law. They could have set up the calendar to allow for educationally meaningful makeup days, but they did not prioritize that for the 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27 calendars.

It is more annoying if you have to come back the following week, than if you just finish out the week. This year, school ended on a Wednesday. People are less annoyed about having to come Thursday and Friday, than having to come Thursday, skip Friday and return the following Monday. Or this year, doing that, returning Monday, then taking a day off for primary elections, then coming back Wednesday. It’s more likely people book camps starting the Monday after school ends than the Thursday. So yah, the State Board is right that ending before Juneteenth is better logistically.

I agree with this. They should not have any contingency days that pull them into the following week. So really they should wrap up the year by the 11th.

They aren't planning any usable makeup days before June 11 so unless the weather is pretty mild that is what will happen.

They need to convert the religious holidays to school days, and drop transition day.

I think Taylor would rather reduce grading days. His proposal to change the school start date is a threat to the union. The union should call his bluff and let him own that 5h!t show.

Why is Taylor so woke?

Seriously though, I don't understand why cutting grading days or the last week of summer is preferable to cutting Transition Day/Diwali.

They'll have to make 8/20 and 8/21 excused absences, right?

He isn't woke at all but my guess is he doesn't want to put the BOE that hired him under pressure regarding the religious days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm down for an early August start date (and end by Memorial Day) but they have to decide that more in advance than mid-April, when camps, vacation plans, summer jobs, etc are already set for everybody, students and staff alike.

There are many good reasons to move in that direction, but we need some notice.

+1, there are nearby jurisdictions that do this, school starts the second week of August and is done the last week of May. A realistic number of snow days are built into the calendar. The biggest differences however are there are no religious holidays other than Christmas and Easter built into the calendar (these holidays are built into winter and spring break) and the teacher workdays are often scheduled in conjunction with other holidays (IP Day and the day after New Years for example).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

This attitude right here is the root of all the calendar drama. MCPS just doesn't agree with State law and has decided not to try very hard to follow it. That means every year they have to negotiate waivers and everyone gets mad. Maybe they should focus on following State law instead of trying to circumvent it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

You’ll notice Atlanta does not observe the religious holidays that are built into the calendar in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

You’ll notice Atlanta does not observe the religious holidays that are built into the calendar in MCPS.

Well, that’s easy enough for Atlanta, with their lack of religious and cultural diversity. /s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

You’ll notice Atlanta does not observe the religious holidays that are built into the calendar in MCPS.

Well, that’s easy enough for Atlanta, with their lack of religious and cultural diversity. /s

Eliminating the observance of the additional religious holidays is obviously the easiest way to bring the calendar back in line with other places, but once MCPS went down that path I don’t know how you put that genie back in the bottle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

You’ll notice Atlanta does not observe the religious holidays that are built into the calendar in MCPS.

Well, that’s easy enough for Atlanta, with their lack of religious and cultural diversity. /s

Eliminating the observance of the additional religious holidays is obviously the easiest way to bring the calendar back in line with other places, but once MCPS went down that path I don’t know how you put that genie back in the bottle.

They could say they are going to actually follow their own policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

This attitude right here is the root of all the calendar drama. MCPS just doesn't agree with State law and has decided not to try very hard to follow it. That means every year they have to negotiate waivers and everyone gets mad. Maybe they should focus on following State law instead of trying to circumvent it.

+1000 MCPS does not need to be the special snowflake who only puts in 1 snow day when our neighboring districts put in 3 and who fights the relevance of the 180-day requirement that is required across the country. That's how we end up being the embarrassing district who has to seek a waiver for not educating our kids enough.

I'm fine with the earlier August start date and filled in the MCPS survey saying I thought it was a good idea. If MCPS wants to keep the gazillion holidays and professional development days and teacher grading days--yes, you need to start earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I want my kids to have a full 180 days of school next year, and I’m fine with starting earlier in August so that happens.

What is so magical at 180? Approximate half the days in a calendar year?
Get rid of the makeup days and things aren't so insane.

Atlanta, GA schools have the 9 week summer that Maryland has, however they get SIX full weeks off a year! Many of the Maryland schools don't even get 3 weeks off and have the same length of summer!
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1765379078/atlantapublicschoolsus/dyfacecbkuogwsftacsu/2026-2028_student_calendar.pdf
https://go.boarddocs.com/ga/fcss/Board.nsf/files/DB8Q4B676D37/$file/26-27%20Instructional%20Calendar%20Draft%20Proposed%2011-12-24.pdf

Maryland private schools are only required to have 168 school days

[Anonymous]

Do people honestly want to start a week earlier this year? That is just ridiculous! If they want to implement this policy, it needs to wait until 2027-2028. Teachers AND students have vacation plans, summer school, work obligations, internships, etc. that go until August 22. We are already going back 2 weeks before Labor Day....