Modoc County California Schools Calendar

eFewer than 2,000 students attend public school in California’s far northeast corner, where three small districts and one county office of education serve a landscape of high desert, lava plateaus, and mountain passes. School calendars here are shaped by distance and winter more than by any single county schedule, and each district adopts its own.

School District Structure in Modoc County

California uses the word “county” at this level, and Modoc County is one of the state’s most remote and least populated, with Alturas as the county seat. Public education is divided among three districts, each with its own elected board and superintendent:

• Modoc Joint Unified School District, based at 906 West Fourth Street in Alturas, serves about 770 students. Its Board of Trustees appointed Beckie Lewis, a longtime Alturas Elementary principal, as superintendent effective July 1, 2025. The main phone is (530) 233-7201. Schools include Alturas Elementary, Modoc Middle School, Modoc High School, State Line Elementary, and Warner High, a continuation school.
• Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District serves the Cedarville area on the east side of the Warner Mountains, with Surprise Valley Elementary and Surprise Valley High.
• Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District serves roughly 480 students at Tulelake Basin Elementary, Tulelake High, and a continuation program.

The Modoc County Office of Education, also in Alturas, supports the districts and operates county-level programs such as special education and the Modoc County Regional Occupational Program. Its elected County Superintendent of Schools does not set district calendars. The county office does help districts with administrative needs, including the 2025 search that led to the Modoc Joint Unified appointment. Each district board typically meets monthly, with agendas posted on its website.

Academic Calendar Structure

Modoc County’s districts generally use a two-semester structure, with a fall semester ending around winter break and a spring semester beginning in early January. Smaller elementary schools may report progress by trimester or quarter, while the high schools grade by semester.

Rural northern California districts commonly start in mid-to-late August and finish in late May or early June, and Modoc County districts follow a similar pattern, though exact dates change annually and by district. Because the three districts adopt separate calendars, a family with students in more than one district, or relatives in another, should check each calendar rather than assuming they match.

School hours differ by school and level. In a county where bus rides cross open ranchland and mountain roads, start times are often set around transportation, so look up your school’s current bell schedule.

School Holidays and Breaks

Expect the standard California holidays and breaks, with dates set each year:

• Labor Day in early September
• Veterans Day on November 11
• Thanksgiving break, typically several days
• Winter break of about two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day, with a mid-winter break in some years
• Spring break, usually late March or April
• Memorial Day in late May

California has no statewide fall break. Confirm exact dates with your district’s adopted calendar.

Linking Your Calendar Searches Across Counties

Families sometimes compare calendars across very different parts of California when they relocate for work, share custody, or plan travel. Anyone weighing the sparse northeast against the Central Valley can look at the Modoc county schools calendar next to the Merced county schools calendar. Modoc has three small districts, while Merced has 20, so the way calendars are set and published looks quite different.

How to Find the Official Modoc County School Calendar

Start with the district that serves your address. Modoc Joint Unified publishes its calendar at modoc.k12.ca.us, and Surprise Valley and Tulelake Basin post theirs on their own sites, often under “District,” “Parents,” or “Community.” Boards typically adopt next year’s calendar in the winter or spring, and a PDF follows.

Individual schools also post supplemental calendars covering sports, concerts, and events, so check your school page too. If you are unsure which district serves your property, the Modoc County Office of Education can help.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Teachers typically report a few days before students for workdays and planning. During the year, districts schedule staff development days when students are not in attendance, and some use early release days for training or parent conferences. Districts announce these through their calendars, newsletters, and notification systems.

In a county where families may live a long way from school, confirm early release times in advance so you can plan pickup. California requires staff development time as part of district calendars, though each board decides how it is scheduled.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Modoc County is high-elevation country, and winter closure decisions reflect it. Snow, ice, and severe cold can affect buses and roads, and fog and wildfire smoke are occasional factors. Travel between Alturas and Cedarville crosses the Warner Mountains on Highway 299, and Highway 395 links the county north and south, so conditions can differ sharply from one community to another.

Closure and delay decisions are made by each district’s superintendent or designee, often after early-morning road checks. Districts typically notify families by automated calls, texts or emails, their websites, and social media. The Modoc Record is the county’s local newspaper, and regional radio and television stations serving the Klamath Basin and the northstate may also carry closure information.

California allows districts to seek approval from the California Department of Education to count certain emergency closure days. Whether a district adds makeup days depends on its policy, so check the district website.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

High school finals typically fall in the last week or two of the spring semester, and graduation ceremonies at Modoc High, Surprise Valley High, and Tulelake High usually take place in late May or early June. With small senior classes, ceremonies are often held on campus or in local gyms and draw much of the community. Elementary and middle school promotion ceremonies are scheduled by each school.

Report cards and grades are typically available through each district’s parent portal, and your school can help with access.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Contact your district office or your child’s school to enroll. Registration typically opens in the spring and continues through summer. California districts generally ask for proof of the child’s age, proof of residency, and immunization records. Transitional kindergarten and kindergarten eligibility depend on the child’s age as of the state cutoff date, so confirm with your district.

Supply lists are usually posted on school pages before the school year begins, and many schools hold open houses or meet-the-teacher events in the first week or so.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Warner High in Alturas and Tulelake’s continuation program serve students who need alternatives to the traditional high school schedule and may run on their own calendars. The Modoc County Regional Occupational Program offers career technical courses that high school students can take alongside their regular classes. Lassen Community College operates an outreach site in Alturas, and students who take dual enrollment courses may follow the college calendar for those classes.

The county office runs special education programs that follow their own schedules. Ask your school about any program-specific dates.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics in California fall under the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and Modoc County schools compete in the CIF Northern Section. Athletic schedules are separate from the academic calendar but linked to it. Fall practice often begins before the first day of school, and long travel distances can affect game days and early dismissals. Your school’s athletic office has current schedules.

State-Level Calendar Requirements and How California Law Governs Modoc County

The California Department of Education sets the baseline for every district in Modoc County, including a minimum number of instructional days and minimum instructional minutes by grade level. Districts that fall short can lose state funding, so boards build their calendars to meet those minimums. Within that framework, each Modoc County board decides start and end dates and where breaks and staff development days fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Modoc County, California?
Most districts start in mid-to-late August, but each sets its own date. Check your district’s adopted calendar.

When does school get out for summer in Modoc County?
Districts typically finish in late May or early June, depending on the calendar.

How many days are in a school year in Modoc County?
California sets minimum instructional days and minutes, and each district’s calendar is built to meet them. Your district’s calendar shows the count.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Modoc County?
Check your district’s website, social media, and automated notifications. The Modoc Record and regional radio and television stations may also carry closures.

What is the spring break schedule for Modoc County schools?
Spring break usually falls in late March or April and varies by district.

How do I enroll my child in Modoc County schools?
Contact your district office or school, and bring proof of age, residency, and immunization records. For Modoc Joint Unified, call (530) 233-7201.

Are there any year-round schools in Modoc County?
Districts in the county generally follow traditional calendars. Ask your district whether any program differs.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Modoc County?
Contact your district office first. The Modoc County Office of Education in Alturas can help you find the right district.