Texas School Calendar 2026-2027

Texas is home to the second-largest public school system in the nation, serving over 5.4 million students across more than 1,200 independent school districts. Rather than mandating a fixed number of school days, Texas law requires a minimum of 75,600 minutes of annual instruction, giving districts flexibility in structuring their calendars. The academic year typically begins in mid-to-late August and concludes by late May or early June. Texas law historically restricted districts from starting before the fourth Monday in August, though waivers are available for certain programs. A notable feature of the Texas school calendar is the inclusion of a short fall break in October, which many districts schedule around Columbus Day. Spring break in Texas generally falls in mid-March, earlier than many other states. Good Friday is widely observed as a school holiday across Texas districts. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees curriculum standards and accountability, but individual districts retain authority over their specific calendar dates. Families in large urban districts such as Houston ISD, Dallas ISD, and Austin ISD should verify their district's calendar, as dates may differ from the state-level guidelines.