Clayton County Georgia Schools Calendar

The Clayton County Public Schools system serves the south Atlanta suburbs with tens of thousands of students in 67 schools. Its calendar is distinctive for an August 3 opening, a full-week fall break in October, and a second full-week break in mid-February, which most Georgia districts do not offer.

School District Structure in Clayton County

Clayton County Public Schools (CCPS) is the only public school district in Clayton County. There is no separate city school system, so students in Jonesboro, Forest Park, Riverdale, Morrow, Lake City, Lovejoy, Rex, and Ellenwood all attend schools run by the same central office. That is different from a multi-district county such as many in Texas or New York. In Georgia, county-wide systems are the norm, and a few cities such as Marietta and Decatur run their own, but none operates in Clayton County.

The district is governed by the Clayton County Board of Education, an elected body that sets policy, approves the budget, and adopts the annual calendar. The board appoints a superintendent, who runs daily operations from the district’s central office in Jonesboro. Regular board meetings are generally held monthly, and agendas, minutes, and calendar proposals are posted on the district website at Families can speak during public comment or contact their board representative.

Clayton County is urban and suburban, and it sits at the southern edge of metro Atlanta, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport near its northern boundary. That makes the county a transportation hub, and many families work in airport, logistics, and hospitality jobs with early or irregular hours. Calendar timing, before- and after-school care, and bus schedules matter more here than in a small rural district.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, the school year begins on August 3, 2026, and ends on May 25, 2027. The district divides the year into two semesters, with four quarters, and has issued elementary report cards at the end of the fourth quarter in recent years. The fall semester runs from the August opening to the last day before winter break, and the spring semester resumes in early January.

Georgia requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in hours, and CCPS builds the calendar to meet that standard. The district’s calendar format has also included virtual instructional or planning days, often called ELBC days, which count as part of the schedule even though students are not in classrooms. Check the current calendar to see how many apply this year.

Bell times differ by school and level, and the district sets them to fit its bus routes. In general, high schools start earliest, and elementary schools dismiss later in the afternoon than in many districts. Confirm the exact start and end times on your child’s school page.

School Holidays and Breaks

Based on published copies of the 2026-27 CCPS calendar, the breaks include:

• Labor Day, September 7, 2026, with no school
• Fall Break, October 12-16, 2026
• Thanksgiving Break, November 23-27, 2026
• Winter Break, which begins December 21, 2026, and continues through January 1, 2027
• A mid-winter break, listed as February 15-19, 2027, which covers Presidents’ Day week
• Spring Break, April 5-9, 2027
• Memorial Day on May 31, 2027, after the last day of school

Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January is also observed. The two full-week breaks in fall and winter give CCPS a different rhythm from districts with a single spring break, and families should plan childcare and travel around them. Dates change every year, so use the board-adopted calendar rather than third-party copies for final planning.

How to Find the Official Clayton County School Calendar

The authoritative source is the Clayton County Public Schools website at clayton.k12.ga.us. The Board of Education typically adopts the calendar for the following year during the spring, and the approved version is posted as a PDF. Look under the District, Parents, or Community menus, or search the site for “calendar.”

A common problem is mixing up similarly named districts. The Clayton County schools calendar covers a district of tens of thousands of students in the Atlanta suburbs, while the Clay County schools calendar belongs to a tiny rural Georgia district near the Alabama line. The two names look alike in search results, but their start dates, break structures, and enrollment processes are very different, so make sure you are on the right page before you plan around any date.

Individual schools also keep supplemental calendars for open houses, concerts, field days, and athletic events. Those pages supplement the district calendar and do not replace it.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers report before students return on August 3, and the calendar includes several non-student days during the year for professional learning, planning, and grade finalization. CCPS’s published calendar format includes days marked no school for students, with professional learning and workdays for staff. For a district of this size, those days give teachers time for training, curriculum alignment, and report cards.

Early release days, when scheduled, are usually announced on the calendar, in school newsletters, and through the district’s automated messaging system. In a county with many working parents and shift workers, families should look for early release days well in advance. Georgia expects districts to provide professional learning for educators, but the Board of Education decides where those days fall.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Clayton County is inland, so hurricane evacuations are not a factor. The main disruptions are winter ice, occasional snow, severe thunderstorms, and tornado warnings. Metro Atlanta has learned that even a small amount of ice can paralyze roads, and a large district with many buses has to weigh conditions across the whole county, including overpasses and secondary roads near I-75 and I-285.

The superintendent decides whether to delay, close, or switch to virtual instruction, after consulting transportation staff, public safety officials, and forecasts. Announcements go out through:

• The district’s automated phone, text, and email system
• The district website and social media accounts
• Atlanta television stations such as WSB-TV, 11Alive, and FOX 5 Atlanta
• Local news coverage, including the Clayton News

Keep your contact information current in the student information system, because missed alerts are a common source of problems. The district’s use of virtual instructional days gives it more flexibility to avoid adding makeup days than some systems have. Georgia also allows districts some flexibility in addressing lost instructional time, and the board decides how to apply it.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

With school ending on May 25, the final exam window for high schools falls in the second half of May, and End-of-Course assessments fit into the district and state testing windows. Graduation ceremonies for the district’s high schools, including Riverdale, Lovejoy, Mount Zion, Jonesboro, and Mundy’s Mill, are generally held in May. The district announces dates and venues in advance because large graduating classes need space beyond a school gym.

Elementary and middle schools hold their own promotion or recognition ceremonies. Report cards and grades are available through the parent portal, and the school office can help families set up an account.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

New families register through the district’s online enrollment process, with help from the school office or the central registration staff. Re-enrollment for returning students typically opens in the spring. New-student registration is generally available year-round, but the busiest period is July.

Georgia and CCPS typically require:

• Proof of age, such as a birth certificate
• Proof of residency in Clayton County, such as a lease, mortgage statement, or utility bill
• A Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231)
• A Georgia vision, hearing, dental, and nutrition screening certificate (Form 3300) for entering students, where applicable
• Records from a prior school

Supply lists are posted by individual schools, often in July, and open houses or meet-the-teacher events happen in the days before the August 3 start. Because of the early opening, families moving in during the summer should start the enrollment process as soon as possible.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Most programs follow the standard CCPS calendar. The district operates magnet and specialty programs, including Elite Scholars Academy in Jonesboro, along with career and technical pathways and alternative education programs. Those programs generally align with district dates, but their schedules, transportation, and application deadlines can differ, so ask the school directly.

High school students taking dual enrollment courses at area colleges and technical colleges should keep two calendars in view, because college semesters start and end on different dates than CCPS. Georgia’s lottery-funded Pre-K program is typically run by providers with their own calendars, so Pre-K families should confirm dates directly. The district’s virtual learning options may also have different attendance rules. There are no widespread year-round schools in the county.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics in Georgia are governed by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), which sets season dates, eligibility rules, and playoff schedules. Athletics are separate from the academic calendar but linked to it. Football and volleyball begin as school opens in early August, with playoffs running into November. Basketball spans winter break, and spring sports finish around exams in May. Practices and games sometimes continue during the fall break and mid-winter break, so athletes should check their school’s athletic page.

State-Level Calendar Requirements and How Georgia Law Governs Clayton County

The Georgia Department of Education sets the framework for the school year, including the 180-day or 1,080-hour minimum for instruction and the state testing windows. Within that framework, the Clayton County Board of Education chooses the start date, the placement of breaks, the number of professional learning days, and the use of virtual instructional days. That local flexibility explains why CCPS can open on August 3, run two full-week breaks, and still meet the same state minimums as neighboring districts. Georgia also gives districts options for dealing with instructional time lost to emergencies, and the board applies them as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Clayton County, Georgia?
For 2026-27, the first day of school is August 3, 2026. CCPS typically opens in early August, and the board sets the exact date. calendarstates

When does school get out for summer in Clayton County?
The last day of school for 2026-27 is May 25, 2027. Check the district calendar for future years. educounty

How many days are in a school year in Clayton County?
Students attend 180 instructional days, the Georgia minimum, or the equivalent in hours.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Clayton County?
Watch for the district’s automated call, text, or email, check the CCPS website and social media, or follow WSB-TV, 11Alive, or FOX 5 Atlanta.

What is the spring break schedule for Clayton County schools?
For 2026-27, spring break runs April 5 to April 9, 2027. The district also has a fall break and a mid-February break, so check all three. calendarstates

How do I enroll my child in Clayton County schools?
Start with the district’s online enrollment process and provide proof of age, residency, and immunization records. Your zoned school’s front office can help.

Are there any year-round schools in Clayton County?
No. The district runs a traditional August-to-May calendar.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Clayton County?
Start with your child’s school office, then contact the Clayton County Public Schools central office in Jonesboro.