Taylor County florida schools calendar

Educating fewer than 3,000 students, the Taylor County School District is one of the smallest in Florida, and it runs from the town of Perry across a long stretch of timberland and Gulf coastline in the Big Bend. Its 2026-27 calendar has a few distinctive features: a full week of preplanning before students arrive on August 11, an end-of-quarter schedule that includes early release days, and a late-March spring break that sits just ahead of Easter.

Families who follow school calendars across North Florida, whether for custody schedules, work travel or extended family, can compare the Suwannee County schools calendar with the Taylor County schools calendar. The two neighboring Big Bend districts end the year on the same day, Thursday, May 27, but their spring breaks land three weeks apart, with Taylor off March 22 through 26 and Suwannee off April 10 through 18.

School District Structure in Taylor County

Taylor County has one public school district, the Taylor County School District, governed by the Taylor County School Board. The district office is at 318 North Clark Street in Perry, the county seat. The board meets in public session, with agendas and meeting dates posted on the district website, and a superintendent oversees daily operations.

There are no separate city school systems in the county. Students in Perry, Shady Grove, Salem and the coastal community of Steinhatchee all attend schools under the same board and calendar. The district’s campuses include Taylor County High School and the elementary and middle schools in Perry, along with Steinhatchee School near the Gulf. The district also offers postsecondary technical education through Taylor Technical College in Perry.

Taylor is a rural county with few traffic lights and a lot of pine forest, and Perry bills itself as the “Tree Capital of the South.” Long drives between communities, especially from Steinhatchee and the coastal fishing settlements, shape bus routes and arrival times, and the district is small enough that principals and central office staff are known to most families.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, teachers report August 3 for preplanning, and students begin on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. The last day for students is Thursday, May 27, 2027, an early release day that also ends the fourth nine weeks. May 28 is a staff planning day.

The district uses four nine-week grading periods. The first ends October 12, 2026, the second ends December 18, 2026 with an early release, and the third ends March 12, 2027. Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and Taylor builds its calendar to meet that standard.

School day hours are set by level and school, so elementary, middle and high school start and dismissal times differ. 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.
• Student holiday and staff professional day: Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
• Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
• Thanksgiving holidays: November 23 through 27, 2026, with students returning November 30.
• Winter break: December 21 through 31, 2026, with a student holiday on January 4 and students returning in early January.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 18, 2027.
• Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 15, 2027.
• Spring break: March 22 through 26, 2027.
• Spring holiday: A separate day off after Easter, so check the district calendar for the date.
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 31, 2027, after the school year ends.

Exact dates change from year to year, so use this as the current adopted schedule and confirm it on the district website before booking travel. Because Easter falls on March 28 in 2027, the spring break and the follow-up holiday bracket it closely, so families planning Easter travel should check both.

How to Find the Official Taylor County Calendar

The official calendar is on the Taylor County School District website, where the school calendar is posted as a month-by-month document with a legend for holidays and early release days. Third-party sites reproduce the dates, but the district’s version is the authoritative one. Be careful when searching, because other states have counties named Taylor with different calendars, and some online listings mix them up.

The School Board adopts the calendar at a public meeting, and agendas and minutes are posted online. Individual schools publish their own calendars for open houses, athletics, performances and parent nights. If your children attend different schools, you will usually need the district calendar plus each school’s page.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays and Professional Development

Teachers report on August 3 for a long preplanning period before students arrive, which is longer than in many Florida districts. During the year, the district uses an early release and staff development day on September 23 and a student holiday and staff professional day on October 14. The second nine weeks ends with an early release on December 18, and the last day of school is an early release as well.

The district announces early releases and schedule changes through the calendar, school messages, automated calls, texts and email, so keep your contact information current in the parent portal. Florida sets training requirements for teachers, and the district decides where to place professional development within the calendar.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Taylor County knows hurricanes well. Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach in 2023, and Hurricane Helene in 2024 brought storm surge and flooding along the coast, so the Gulf communities of Steinhatchee, Keaton Beach and Dekle Beach sit in evacuation zones. The district decides on closures in coordination with Taylor County Emergency Management, and schools may be used as shelters, which can lead to closures before a storm arrives.

If instructional time is lost, the district can add days to the calendar or seek relief from the state, depending on the circumstances. Check the district’s notices for the current plan.

Closure announcements go out through the district’s automated call, text and email system, the district website and the district’s social media. Local and regional media also carry them, including the Taylor County Herald Journal, WCTV, WTXL, WTWC and the Tallahassee Democrat.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Final exams for secondary students fall in the last weeks of the spring semester, with semester exams before the second nine weeks ends in December. With the last student day on May 27, 2027, high school graduation is generally held in the days around the end of May, and Taylor County High School announces its ceremony date, time and venue. Ceremonies are commonly held at the school stadium or gym in Perry.

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

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families new to Taylor can register through the district’s enrollment process or by contacting their zoned school. Assignments follow attendance zones, with Steinhatchee-area students generally attending Steinhatchee School and others attending schools in Perry. Registration typically requires:

• Proof of residency in Taylor 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 Taylor programs follow the district calendar, but some differ. Students taking dual enrollment courses through nearby colleges, such as North Florida College or Tallahassee State College, follow the college’s calendar for those classes, and its start dates and breaks differ from the K-12 schedule. Taylor Technical College in Perry offers career and technical training with its own schedule and enrollment process.

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

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar

High school athletics in Taylor are governed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which sets season dates, eligibility and playoff schedules. Athletic calendars are separate from the academic calendar but connected to it. Football and volleyball begin near the start of school, winter sports run through the holiday break, and spring sports overlap with the late-March break and end-of-year exams. Local traditions such as the Florida Forest Festival in Perry draw the community together, though the official calendar does not show a festival closure. Coaches may schedule practices or games during breaks, so check with your school’s athletic department.

How Florida Law Governs the Taylor 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. Taylor follows the statewide testing calendar.

Within those limits, the Taylor County School Board decides start and end dates, grading periods, holiday closures and professional days. That authority explains the district’s particular choices, such as a long preplanning week, an early release at the end of each grading period and a spring break that tracks the Easter calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Taylor County, Florida?
For 2026-27, the first day for students is Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

When does school get out for summer in Taylor County?
The last day for students is Thursday, May 27, 2027, an early release day.

How many days are in a school year in Taylor County?
Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and Taylor builds its calendar around four nine-week grading periods to meet that standard.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Taylor County?
Watch for district calls, texts and emails, check the district website and social media, and follow local news including the Taylor County Herald Journal, WCTV, WTXL, WTWC and the Tallahassee Democrat.

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

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

Are there any year-round schools in Taylor County?
Taylor 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 Taylor County?
Start with your child’s school office, then the district office at 318 North Clark Street in Perry.