2022-23 School Year Calendar - Seattle Public Schools

School Year Calendar

• Upcoming Dates
• 2025-26 School Year Dates
• 2026-27 School Year Dates

Upcoming Dates

16FebMid-winter Break, No SchoolFebruary 16 – February 2017MarEnd of Trimester 2March 1707AprEnd of Quarter 3April 7

2025-26 School Year Dates

2025-26 School Year Printable Calendar

View start and end times for all schools. All schools have a 75-minute early release on Wednesdays, except the first and last day of school. The last day of school will have a 60-minute early release.

Sept. 3 First day of school for 1st-12th grade students. Sept. 3 is not an early release Wednesday. Early release will occur every Wednesday except for the first week of school.

Sept. 3, 4 and 5 PreK and K Family Connections

Sept. 8 First day of school for preschool and kindergarten students

Oct. 10 State In-service Day (no school for students)

Nov. 11 Veterans Day Observed (no school)

Nov. 24-26 Family-Teacher conference days in elementary and K-8 schools. (no school for elementary and K-8 schools, varies by school).Most middle schools are open (see school website for more information).

Nov. 27-28 Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day (no school)

Dec. 19 1-hour early dismissal

Dec. 22, 2025-Jan. 2, 2026 Winter break (no school)

Jan. 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (no school)

Feb. 16-20 Mid-winter break, including Presidents Day (no school)

April 13-17 Spring break (no school)

May 25 Memorial Day (no school)

June 17 Last day of school (school will be dismissed 60 minutes early)

June 19 Juneteenth (staff holiday, no school when school is in session)

Potential emergency closure makeup days are June 18, 22, 23.

2026-27 School Year Dates

The first day of school for grades 1-12 is Wednesday, Sept. 2.

The first day of school for preschool and kindergarten is Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Key Dates for 2026-27

Sept. 2 First day of school for 1st-12th grade students. Sept. 2 is not an early release Wednesday. Early release will occur every Wednesday except for the first week of school.

Sept. 2, 3, and 4 PreK and K Family Connections

Sept. 7 Labor Day (no school)

Sept. 8 First day of school for preschool and kindergarten students

Oct. 9 State In-service Day (no school for students)

Nov. 11 Veterans Day Observed (no school)

Nov. 23-25 Family-Teacher conference days in elementary and K-8 schools. (No school for elementary and K-8 schools, varies by school. Most middle schools are open.) See school website for more information.

Nov. 26-27 Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day (no school)

Dec. 18 1-hour early dismissal

Dec. 21, 2026-Jan. 1, 2027 Winter break (no school)

Jan. 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school)

Jan. 28 Day between semesters (no school)

Feb. 15-19 Mid-winter break, including Presidents Day (no school)

April 12-16 Spring break (no school)

May 31 Memorial Day (no school)

June 18 Juneteenth observed (staff holiday, no school)

June 21 Last day of school (1-hour early dismissal)

June 22, 23 are potential emergency closure makeup days.

How are school year dates determined?

The school year dates are agreed upon by Seattle Public Schools (SPS) and Seattle Education Association (SEA). The school calendar is always developed in collaboration with the educators’ union.

The school calendar is developed collaboratively with SEA and the dates are agreed upon in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The formula to schedule key dates in the CBA states that the first day of school will be the first Wednesday of September.

The key dates formula was originally bargained in the 2015-18 CBA as a tool for staff and families so there would be consistency around calendars and dates weren’t arbitrarily set.

During the 2019 bargaining period, multiple joint workgroups between SPS and SEA were established, with one specifically organized to address inclusive considerations related to religious and cultural observations and practices. This workgroup developed supplemental materials and guidance to go along with the traditional school year calendar.

While not all religious/cultural events can be accommodated for, this guidance was created to serve as a reference for schools, families, and communities to be aware of potential schedule conflicts and excused absences and/or to make appropriate accommodations and supports for students and families on days of religious/cultural observances.

The religious and cultural observances identified in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Religion and Religious Accommodations documents, also highlights observances and traditions which involve fasting, which may have an impact on students’ abilities to perform at their highest level or be a reason for an absence from class.

Key Dates in the 2025-26 CBA

The below dates were negotiated as a part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

• First day of school: The first Wednesday in September.
• State In-service Day: As recognized by the state (typically the second Friday in October).
• Winter break: At least 10 weekdays, ending after New Year’s Day. If New Year’s Day falls or is observed on a Monday, students will return to school on the next day (Tuesday).
• Mid-winter break: Presidents’ Day and the following four workdays.
• Spring break: Five days starting the second Monday in April.
• District-wide Emergency Closure Days. Three emergency closure make-up days will be scheduled. The scheduled make-up days will be, the day off between semesters, and the first two days following the last day of school in June. If additional emergency closure make-up days are required, they will be added to the end of the school year.
• Holidays:
  • Labor Day (when school begins before this day in September)
  • Veterans Day (November)
  • Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving (November)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January)
  • Presidents’ Day (February)
  • Memorial Day (May)
  • Juneteenth (when the school year extends beyond this day in June)
• Contractual Days: The four days preceding the start of school, except for the Friday before Labor Day
• November Conference Days: Three consecutive days for conferences immediately preceding Thanksgiving Day

Read the Collective Bargaining Agreement between SPS and Seattle Education Association (SEA) Employees