El Paso County Colorado Schools Calendar

About fifteen separate public school districts operate inside this single Colorado county, so there is no single El Paso County school calendar, only a set of district calendars that overlap and often disagree. Colorado Springs and its suburbs account for most of the roughly 100,000 students, spread across large districts such as Colorado Springs D11, Academy District 20, Falcon D49, Harrison D2, Widefield D3, and Fountain-Fort Carson D8. Small rural districts on the eastern plains fill out the rest. The first job for any parent is figuring out which district serves their address.

School District Structure in El Paso County

Colorado schools are organized by district rather than by county, and El Paso County has more of them than almost any other county in the state. State records list districts including Academy 20, Cheyenne Mountain 12, Colorado Springs 11, Falcon 49, Fountain-Fort Carson 8, Harrison 2, Lewis-Palmer 38, Manitou Springs 14, and Widefield 3, along with smaller districts in the outlying communities, including Calhan RJ-1, Edison 54JT, Ellicott 22, Hanover 28, Miami-Yoder 60JT, and Peyton 23JT. Each has its own elected board of education that adopts the budget, sets policy, hires a superintendent, and approves its own calendar.

Colorado Springs is a city of several districts, not one, so two neighbors on the same street can be in different districts. Boundaries do not follow city limits. Academy District 20 covers much of northern Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy area, Colorado Springs D11 serves the central city, Harrison D2 and Widefield D3 serve the south and southeast, and Falcon D49 covers the fast-growing northeast and eastern areas. Fountain-Fort Carson D8 serves the Fountain Valley and the Army post. Lewis-Palmer D38 covers Monument and Palmer Lake, Cheyenne Mountain D12 is a compact district on the city’s southwest side, and Manitou Springs D14 serves that mountain town at the base of Pikes Peak. If you are unsure, use the Colorado Department of Education’s district boundary lookup or call the school.

The county is a mix of urban, suburban, military, and rural communities. The military presence at Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever, and the Air Force Academy shapes enrollment and mobility in several districts, and rural eastern districts have long bus routes and small campuses. Those differences are why the calendars are not alike.

Academic Calendar Structure

Most El Paso County districts start in mid-August and finish in late May or early June, but start and end dates are set separately by each board, typically adopted well before the school year. Third-party calendar sites often disagree with each other, so use the board-adopted version on your district’s own website, such as d11.org or d49.org. Districts commonly operate on two semesters, with fall ending around winter break and spring beginning in January. Elementary schools often report by quarter or trimester, and middle and high schools by semester with interim reports.

Colorado requires about 160 days or the equivalent in instructional hours, with roughly 1,080 hours for secondary grades and 1,056 for elementary. Most of the large Colorado Springs districts use a five-day week, while some smaller rural districts in the county use a four-day week with longer days. Check your district’s adopted calendar to see its weekly pattern. Bell times vary by district and school, so use your school’s page for current start and end times.

School Holidays and Breaks

A typical El Paso County district calendar includes:

• Labor Day: First Monday of September.
• Fall Break: Some districts schedule a fall break or conference days in October, and others do not. Check yours.
• Thanksgiving Break: Usually the full week or several days around Thanksgiving.
• Winter Break: About two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Third Monday of January.
• Presidents’ Day: Third Monday of February.
• Spring Break: One week, usually in March or early April. Dates vary by district, which matters for families with children in more than one district.
• Memorial Day: Last Monday of May.

Military families who move between districts, or who have children in different school systems, should compare each calendar. The adopted calendar always controls.

How to Find the Official El Paso County School Calendar

There is no countywide calendar, so start with your district’s website. Each posts its board-adopted calendar, usually as a downloadable PDF, under sections like “District,” “Parents,” or “Community.” Districts adopt next year’s calendar at a public board meeting, typically in the winter or spring, and the agenda for that meeting shows proposed changes. Individual schools and charter schools also post their own events and, in some cases, their own calendars, so check both levels.

Families who split time between very different parts of Colorado, whether for custody, relatives, or a move, may need to compare calendars across districts. If that is you, the El Paso County schools calendar pages for the many districts around Colorado Springs and the Eagle County schools calendar for the mountain district in the Vail Valley are set by separate boards with very different communities. Their start dates, breaks, and closure practices often do not line up, so confirm each directly.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers report a few days before students in August for work days and training. During the year, districts schedule professional development days, teacher work days, and in some cases early release or half days, and each posts them on its adopted calendar. Families are typically notified through district email, school newsletters, and parent apps. A few districts, particularly those with a four-day week, use the off day for training.

Some training is tied to state requirements. Colorado’s READ Act requires literacy training for K-3 teachers, and educator evaluation and safety training also take time. The specific days are set locally, so check your district’s calendar.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Weather varies widely across the county. Monument and Palmer Lake sit on the Palmer Divide, which gets heavier snow and ice than Colorado Springs, while Manitou Springs and the foothills can see sudden mountain storms and the eastern plains deal with wind and drifting snow. Each district’s superintendent decides on closures and delays, typically early in the morning, after consulting transportation and road reports. Neighboring districts may make different decisions on the same day, so rely on your own district’s announcement, not what a neighbor’s child does.

Colorado measures instructional time in hours, so makeup is flexible, and districts may use built-in time, extra minutes, or waivers. Check your district’s policy. Closure notices go out through each district’s notification system by text, email, and phone, and are posted on websites and social media. Colorado Springs television stations KKTV 11 News, KRDO NewsChannel 13, and KOAA News5 carry closure lists, as does the Gazette. Keep your contact information current with your school.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

High school finals usually fall in the last week or two of the school year, set by each school. Graduation ceremonies take place in late May or early June, at venues that can include school stadiums, the Broadmoor World Arena, and other large Colorado Springs facilities, depending on the district and class size. Elementary and middle schools often hold promotion or awards events. Report cards are issued each grading period, and each district’s parent portal lets families check grades and attendance, with help from the school office.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Register in the district that serves your address, either at your neighborhood school or through the district’s online registration system, which generally opens in the spring for the next year and continues through summer. Colorado allows choice enrollment, and several El Paso County districts offer open enrollment and choice programs, with applications on their own timelines. Charter schools have separate applications. Typical documents include:

• Proof of residency, such as a lease, mortgage statement, or utility bill
• The child’s birth certificate or other proof of age
• Immunization records or a valid exemption under Colorado law
• Records from a prior school, including military transfer records if applicable

Supply lists are generally posted on school websites over the summer, and many schools hold open houses or orientation days just before school starts.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

The county’s districts offer many programs with their own schedules. Charter schools, magnet and choice programs, and online schools may follow different calendars from neighborhood schools. High school students may take concurrent enrollment courses through Pikes Peak State College and other partners, which follow the college calendar and can differ around spring break and finals. Early childhood programs often run different days and hours than K-5. Alternative and credit recovery programs may have rolling starts. Confirm details with the specific program.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics follow the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA), which sets seasons, eligibility, and postseason dates. Districts compete in regional leagues, and schools from different districts may be on different break schedules, which can affect game dates. Fall practices begin in August around the first days of school, winter sports run through the holidays, and spring sports overlap with finals and graduation. Check each school’s athletics page.

State-Level Calendar Requirements and How Colorado Law Governs El Paso County

The Colorado Department of Education and the State Board of Education set the minimum instructional time, but each local board of education decides start and end dates, holidays, and weekly structure. The state’s roughly 160-day or equivalent-hours framework gives boards wide latitude, and districts may seek waivers from some requirements. That local control is why El Paso County’s districts publish many different calendars, even though their students live side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in El Paso County, Colorado?
Most districts start in mid-August, but each sets its own date. Check your district’s adopted calendar.

When does school get out for summer in El Paso County?
The last day usually falls in late May or early June, depending on the district.

How many days are in a school year in El Paso County?
Colorado requires about 160 days or equivalent instructional hours. Districts on a four-day week meet the standard with longer days, so student-day counts vary.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in El Paso County?
Watch for your district’s text, email, and phone alerts, check its website and social media, or follow KKTV 11, KRDO 13, or KOAA 5.

What is the spring break schedule for El Paso County schools?
Spring break is usually one week in March or early April, but dates differ by district. The adopted calendar lists yours.

How do I enroll my child in El Paso County schools?
Register through the district serving your address, with proof of residency, a birth certificate, and immunization records. Choice and charter schools have separate applications.

Are there any year-round schools in El Paso County?
Most districts follow a traditional August-to-May calendar, though some programs differ. Confirm with your district.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in El Paso County?
Contact your child’s school first, then your district’s administration office. Board agendas show when each calendar is adopted.