Dallas County Alabama Schools County

Two public school systems serve the Black Belt communities of central Alabama’s Dallas County, together enrolling several thousand students across a mostly rural landscape of farmland, small towns, and the historic river city of Selma. The calendar is shaped by that split, because the county and city systems each adopt their own schedules while following the same state rules. Families often have to compare two calendars rather than one, especially if siblings, relatives, or work schedules cross district lines.

School District Structure in Dallas County

Dallas County is a county, not a parish or borough, and it contains two separate public school systems. The first is the Dallas County School System, governed by the Dallas County Board of Education, which serves students outside the Selma city limits, including communities such as Plantersville, Orrville, Valley Grande, and Sardis. The second is Selma City Schools, governed by the Selma City Board of Education, which serves students living inside the city.

Each system has its own superintendent, central office, and board of education. Alabama boards of education typically hold regular monthly meetings, and the Dallas County and Selma boards each set their own meeting day and time. Agendas, minutes, and meeting notices are normally posted on each district’s website. Because the two boards act independently, a vote on the calendar in one system has no effect on the other.

The county is largely rural, with long bus routes, so transportation shapes how both systems set start times and handle weather closures. Selma, as a small city, has a more compact attendance zone and shorter commutes.

Families who compare options across county lines may also find the Dale County schools calendar useful, since Dale County sits in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama and follows a different local schedule. Both counties operate under the Alabama State Department of Education’s requirement of 180 instructional days, but each board adopts its own start dates, breaks, and early release days. Likewise, anyone researching the Dallas County schools calendar from outside the area should confirm which system serves their address, because a week’s difference in the first day of school or spring break can affect a family’s planning.

Academic Calendar Structure

Schools in both Dallas County systems generally open in early August, which is typical for Alabama, and finish in mid to late May. Exact dates vary each year, and the boards typically adopt the calendar for the following year during the spring. Look at the official district sites for the dates in force this year rather than relying on a general pattern.

The year is split into two semesters. The fall semester runs from the August opening through the winter break in December, and the spring semester begins in early January and runs through May. Many schools divide each semester into two nine-week grading periods, giving four quarters. Report cards and progress reports generally follow each grading period, though specific schedules differ by school and grade level.

Alabama requires 180 days of instruction. Both districts build their calendars around that number, adding in holidays, teacher workdays, and a few buffer days for weather. Some days that appear on the calendar, such as teacher workdays, do not count as instructional days for students.

School day hours also differ by school and by system. As a general pattern in rural Alabama, elementary schools start around 7:45 to 8:00 a.m. and end mid-afternoon, with middle and high schools running on a similar window. Bus schedules in the county system start earlier because of route length. Check your child’s school directly for current bell times.

School Holidays and Breaks

The calendars in both systems follow the familiar Alabama pattern, with adjustments each year:

• Labor Day: Observed on the first Monday of September.
• Fall break: Some Alabama districts build in a short fall break around October. Check whether the current adopted calendar includes one.
• Thanksgiving break: Usually the full week of Thanksgiving or the days surrounding it.
• Winter break: Typically about two weeks, spanning Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Observed in January. In Alabama this holiday is shared with Robert E. Lee’s birthday under state law, and the state holiday falls on the same Monday.
• Presidents’ Day: Some Alabama districts give a day off in February, and some tie it to a longer winter weekend.
• Spring break: Usually one week in March or early April. In Dallas County, the date may or may not line up with neighboring systems, so check before booking travel.
• Memorial Day: Falls after most schools have let out for summer.

The county has a strong civic connection to Selma’s role in the voting rights movement, and local observances around the anniversary of the 1965 march often take place in March. Those events can bring heavy traffic and visitors to Selma, and families should check with their school if an observance affects bus routes or events on that date.

Specific dates change every year, so the official board-adopted calendar is the only reliable source for the current year.

How to Find the Official Dallas County School Calendar

Start with the website for the system that serves your address. For students outside the city, that is the Dallas County Board of Education’s website. For students in Selma, it is the Selma City Schools website. If you are not sure which system you fall under, call either central office and give your street address. They can tell you right away.

Once on the district site, look under sections labeled “District,” “Parents,” “Community,” or “Calendar.” Boards usually post the calendar as a PDF, often alongside a downloadable version for phone calendars. The calendar is generally approved at a regular board meeting in the spring for the following school year, and the board meeting minutes will show the vote.

Individual schools may also keep supplemental calendars that include sports, band, fine arts, parent nights, and testing windows. Those calendars do not replace the district calendar, so check both when planning around an event.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Not every day on the calendar is a regular day for students. Teachers typically report a few days before students arrive in August for planning, training, and classroom preparation. Those days appear on the calendar as teacher workdays, and students are not in attendance.

During the year, a handful of professional development days may fall on regular weekdays when students are out. Alabama law and the State Department of Education establish certain required training for educators, such as safety training, and districts schedule it around the school year. Both systems also use early release days at points in the year, often at the end of a grading period or before a major holiday, so teachers can finish grades or attend training.

Early release days are typically announced on the calendar, in school newsletters, on social media, and through the district’s automated phone, text, or email system. Parents should make sure their contact information is current in the student information system so notices reach them. In a rural county where children ride buses, an early release also affects pickup times, so confirm the bus schedule with the school.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Dallas County has a mild climate with occasional severe weather. Tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding, and the occasional winter ice event are the most common reasons for a closure. Rural roads in the county can become hazardous after heavy rain or ice, and long bus routes mean superintendents consider road conditions across a wide area.

The superintendent of each system makes the call to close or delay. Announcements usually go out through the district’s automated notification system, the district website, and social media pages. Local and regional media also carry them. Residents commonly turn to Montgomery-area television stations such as WSFA 12 and WAKA CBS 8, as well as local radio and the Selma Times-Journal, for closing news. Check each district’s current communication channels, since these can change.

For makeup days, districts usually build a few extra days into the calendar or adjust spring dates after a closure. Alabama law gives local boards flexibility in how they make up days, but the 180-day standard still applies, so closures can lead to shortened breaks or added days in May. Check the district site when a closure occurs.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Final exams generally take place in the last week or two of May, with high school exams following a set schedule and elementary and middle schools using a lighter assessment window. Exam schedules for high school students are usually posted by the school several weeks in advance.

High school graduation ceremonies typically take place in May, with each system choosing its own date and venue. The county high schools may hold ceremonies at their own gymnasiums or football stadiums, and Selma High School may use a different local venue. Confirm the date and ticket rules with the school, since seating can be limited.

Elementary and middle schools often hold promotion or awards ceremonies in the final week. Report cards go home at the end of the final grading period, and many families use the district’s student information portal to check grades through the year. Ask your child’s school how to set up portal access.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Enrollment for returning students often opens in the spring, and new student registration continues through the summer and the school year. Families new to the county should register with the system that serves their address. Most schools in both systems accept registration at the central office or at the individual school, and some offer an online portal.

Typical documents include the child’s birth certificate, proof of residency such as a utility bill or lease, an Alabama Certificate of Immunization, a Social Security number if available, and records from the prior school. Students transferring between the county and city systems may need release forms. Call the registrar if you are missing a document, because staff can often explain alternatives.

School supply lists are usually posted on school websites or social media pages in July, and some schools host open houses or meet-the-teacher nights shortly before the first day. These events appear on the school calendar and may not appear on the district’s main calendar.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Special programs can follow a calendar that differs slightly from the main one. Pre-K programs, including those funded through Alabama’s First Class Pre-K, may follow their own start date or hours. Career and technical programs may coordinate with local community colleges, and students taking dual enrollment courses should also check the college’s calendar, since semester dates at the community college do not always match the school’s. Wallace Community College Selma is a common partner for students in the area.

Alabama also offers ACCESS Distance Learning for students seeking online courses, and districts may add their own virtual options. Alternative education programs may use a modified schedule. I am not aware of year-round schools in either system, but confirm with the district.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics in Alabama are governed by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). The AHSAA sets season dates, classifications, and eligibility rules, so athletic schedules are separate from the academic calendar. They are linked, though: football starts in August, basketball overlaps with winter break, and spring sports run into exam season. Practices and games sometimes take place during breaks, and coaches typically post those schedules directly. Local school athletic pages and the AHSAA site are the best places to check.

State-Level Calendar Requirements and How Alabama Law Governs Dallas County

The Alabama State Department of Education, working under the Alabama State Board of Education, sets the minimum requirements for the school year, including the 180-day instructional standard. Local boards of education then adopt calendars that meet that standard and decide start dates, holidays, and break lengths. Boards cannot shorten the year below the state minimum, but they have flexibility on when school begins and ends.

State law also sets holidays that apply to schools and requires certain safety and training days. Because the county and city boards each have their own authority, a calendar decision in Selma does not bind Dallas County Schools, and vice versa.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Dallas County, Alabama?
Both systems typically start in early August. Check the board-adopted calendar for the exact date.

When does school get out for summer?
Usually mid to late May, depending on the year’s calendar and any weather makeup days.

How many days are in a school year?
Alabama requires 180 instructional days, and both systems build their calendars around that figure.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today?
Check your district’s automated alert, website, and social media, as well as WSFA 12, WAKA CBS 8, and local radio.

What is the spring break schedule?
Typically one week in March or early April. The exact week is set each year, so check the current calendar.

How do I enroll my child?
Contact the system that serves your address, bring proof of residency, a birth certificate, and immunization records, and ask about the online portal.

Are there year-round schools?
Not that I am aware of. Confirm with each district.

Who do I contact with calendar questions?
Call the central office of the Dallas County Board of Education or Selma City Schools, or your child’s school office.