Santa Rosa County florida schools calendar

On the western edge of the Florida Panhandle, the Santa Rosa County School District serves more than 30,000 students in roughly three dozen schools, from Milton and Pace to Gulf Breeze and Navarre. The district runs one countywide calendar with a built-in rhythm: school opens on the earliest date Florida allows, semester exams wrap up before winter break, and the year ends in the last week of May, earlier than many Florida districts.

Parents who are weighing a move or coordinating family schedules across the state can compare the Santa Rosa County schools calendar with the Putnam County schools calendar to see how a Panhandle district and a northeast Florida district handle the same state rules. Both open on August 10, but Santa Rosa takes a standard five-day spring break in late March, while Putnam stretches its break across nine days in mid-March, so the two calendars diverge quickly after the first semester.

School District Structure in Santa Rosa County

Public education in Santa Rosa County is run by a single district, the Santa Rosa County School District, under the Santa Rosa County School Board. The district office is at 5086 Canal Street in Milton, the county seat. The board meets in public session, and agendas, minutes and meeting schedules are posted on the district website, santarosa.k12.fl.us. The superintendent directs daily operations across all schools.

There are no separate city school systems in the county. Students in Milton, Pace, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Jay, Bagdad, Holley and surrounding communities all fall under the same board and the same calendar. The district operates traditional neighborhood schools, career and technical programs and alternative options, and a number of charter schools and private schools operate independently with their own calendars.

Santa Rosa is a mix of suburban growth, small-town communities and rural north-county areas, with a long Gulf coastline along Santa Rosa Island and Navarre Beach. Military families are a significant part of the community because of nearby Naval Air Station Whiting Field outside Milton and Eglin Air Force Base to the east, which shapes enrollment patterns and the demand for stable, predictable calendars.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, teachers report for pre-planning the week of August 3 through 7, and students begin on Monday, August 10, 2026. The last day for students is Tuesday, May 25, 2027, an early release day for all students. May 26 is listed only as a storm day if needed, and May 26 and 27 are post-planning days for teachers.

The year is divided into two semesters. Middle and high school semester exams are held December 16 and 17, 2026, and December 18 is an early release day, which closes the first semester right before winter break. Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and Santa Rosa’s calendar is designed to meet that standard.

School day hours are set by school, so elementary, middle and high school start and dismissal times differ across the county. Check your school’s page or the district’s transportation information for exact times.

School Holidays and Breaks

The 2026-27 calendar includes these closures:

• Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2026.
• Teacher planning day: October 12, 2026, with no school for students.
• Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
• Fall and Thanksgiving break: November 23 through 27, 2026.
• Winter and Christmas break: December 21, 2026 through January 1, 2027, with a teacher planning day on January 4 and students returning after that.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 18, 2027.
• Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 15, 2027.
• Teacher planning day: March 15, 2027.
• Spring break: March 22 through 26, 2027.
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 31, 2027.

Dates change from year to year, so use this list as the current adopted schedule and confirm it on the district website before you book travel.

How to Find the Official Santa Rosa County Calendar

The official calendar is posted on the district website at santarosa.k12.fl.us. Look for the calendar link under the district or parents sections, where the board-approved calendar is available as a printable PDF. The School Board adopts the calendar at a public meeting, typically well ahead of the school year it covers, and the agenda and minutes are posted online.

Individual schools also keep their own calendars for open houses, athletics, band and chorus events, parent nights and other activities. If you have children at different campuses, you will probably need the district calendar plus each school’s page. Parents can check grades and attendance through the district’s online parent portal.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays and Professional Development

Teachers work before and after the student year. Pre-planning runs August 3 through 7, 2026, and post-planning takes place May 26 and 27, 2027. During the school year, students are out for teacher planning days on October 12, January 4 and March 15, which the district uses for planning, training and grading.

Early release days are tied mainly to exams and the end of the year. December 18, 2026 is an early release for semester exams, and the last day of school, May 25, 2027, is an early release for all students. The district announces schedule changes through its calendar, school messages, automated calls, texts and email, so keep your contact information current. Florida sets training requirements for teachers, and the district decides which of its planning days to use for them.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Santa Rosa is a coastal Gulf county and sits squarely in hurricane territory. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Sally in 2020 both caused major damage in the area, and families here take storm season seriously. When a tropical system threatens, the district decides on closures in coordination with Santa Rosa County Emergency Management, and evacuation orders for low-lying and coastal areas such as Navarre Beach and Gulf Breeze can affect attendance even for schools that remain open. Schools may also be used as emergency shelters.

The calendar designates May 26, 2027 as a storm make-up day, to be used only if instructional time is lost. If more days are needed, the district can add days or seek relief from the state, depending on the situation.

Closure announcements go out through the district’s automated call, text and email system, santarosa.k12.fl.us and the district’s social media. Local media also carry them, including WEAR-TV (ABC 3), WKRG, WALA, the Pensacola News Journal and the Santa Rosa Press Gazette.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Semester exams for middle and high school students fall in mid-December, and final exams come near the end of the spring semester, with each school publishing its own exam schedule. Because the last day of school is May 25, 2027, high school graduations are generally held in the days around the end of May, and each school announces its ceremony date, time and venue. Ceremonies are commonly held at school stadiums, gyms and larger venues around the county.

Elementary and middle schools hold their own recognition events near the end of the year. Report cards are issued at the end of each grading period, and families can view grades through the district’s parent portal.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families new to Santa Rosa can register through the district’s enrollment process or by contacting their zoned school. Assignments follow attendance zones, so the school your child attends depends on your address. Military families relocating to the area should contact the district early and ask about any transition support available. Registration typically requires:

• Proof of residency in Santa Rosa County, such as a lease, mortgage statement or utility bill
• The child’s birth certificate or other proof of age
• A Florida immunization record
• A school entry health exam on the required Florida form
• Records from the prior school, if transferring

Supply lists are usually posted by individual schools during the summer, and Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday typically falls in August. Orientation and meet-the-teacher dates vary by school, so contact your school’s office for details.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Most Santa Rosa programs follow the district calendar. Students taking dual enrollment courses through Pensacola State College, which has a campus in Milton, or through other college partners follow the college’s calendar for those classes, and its start dates and breaks differ from the K-12 schedule. Career and technical programs may have their own events and requirements.

Pre-K programs, including Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten program, may use different hours or calendars, so confirm with the specific program. Alternative schools and virtual learning options may have their own enrollment windows and schedules as well. Charter and private schools in the county set their own calendars.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar

High school athletics in Santa Rosa are governed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which sets season dates, eligibility rules and playoff schedules. Athletic calendars are separate from the academic calendar but linked to it. Football and volleyball begin near the start of school, winter sports run through the December exam period and the holiday break, and spring sports overlap with the late-March break and end-of-year exams. Coaches may schedule practices or games during breaks, so check with your school’s athletic department.

How Florida Law Governs the Santa Rosa County Calendar

The Florida Legislature and the Florida Department of Education set the framework for every district’s calendar. The state requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in hours, limits how early school can start in August, and schedules statewide assessments that districts must plan around. Florida’s FAST assessments are given in fall, midyear and spring windows, and Santa Rosa follows that statewide schedule.

Within those limits, the Santa Rosa County School Board decides start and end dates, holiday closures, exam schedules, early releases and planning days. That authority explains the district’s particular choices, such as opening on the earliest allowed date and closing the year before Memorial Day.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Santa Rosa County, Florida?
For 2026-27, the first day for students is Monday, August 10, 2026.

When does school get out for summer in Santa Rosa County?
The last day for students is Tuesday, May 25, 2027, an early release day.

How many days are in a school year in Santa Rosa County?
Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and Santa Rosa builds its calendar to meet that standard.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Santa Rosa County?
Watch for district calls, texts and emails, check santarosa.k12.fl.us and the district’s social media, and follow local news including WEAR-TV, WKRG, WALA, the Pensacola News Journal and the Santa Rosa Press Gazette.

What is the spring break schedule for Santa Rosa County schools?
Spring break for 2026-27 runs March 22 through 26, 2027.

How do I enroll my child in Santa Rosa County schools?
Contact your zoned school or the district office in Milton. You will need proof of residency, a birth certificate, immunization records and a health exam form.

Are there any year-round schools in Santa Rosa County?
Santa Rosa County School District operates on a traditional calendar. Confirm with the district if a particular program follows a different schedule.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Santa Rosa County?
Start with your child’s school office, then the district office at 5086 Canal Street in Milton or the contact information on the district website.