Palm Beach County florida schools calendar

One of the ten largest school districts in the country is run from a headquarters on Forest Hill Boulevard in West Palm Beach. The School District of Palm Beach County ranks 10th largest nationally, with more than 193,000 students counting charter school enrollment. Its territory runs from Jupiter and Boca Raton out to the farm towns of Belle Glade and Pahokee on Lake Okeechobee. The 2026-27 calendar stands out for elementary schools on trimesters while secondary schools run quarters, two extra fall and spring holidays, and a spring break that falls a week later than in Orange and Osceola counties.

School District Structure in Palm Beach County

Florida organizes its school districts by county, so Palm Beach County has a single public school district, the School District of Palm Beach County. Cities such as West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and Jupiter do not run their own systems, and a family moving between them keeps the same calendar. Charter schools operate inside the county and may keep their own schedules, so confirm dates with a charter school directly.

The district is governed by the Palm Beach County School Board, a seven-member body elected in nonpartisan races from single-member districts. The superintendent is Michael J. Burke. His tenure began in July 2021, when the board elected him unanimously after more than two decades in district operations, including a stint as chief financial officer. District headquarters is at 3300 Forest Hill Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406. Board meetings are streamed live on the district’s YouTube channel, and agendas are posted through the district’s online portal. Meeting dates are listed on the board meetings page of palmbeachschools.org.

Palm Beach County is large and varied. The coastal east is dense and urban or suburban, the central and western suburbs such as Wellington and Royal Palm Beach have grown quickly, and the Glades area to the west is agricultural. The district operates four regional offices, called Central, Glades, North and South. That geography affects the school year, because bus routes in the Glades can run long while coastal schools deal with traffic congestion.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, the first day of school for students is August 10, 2026. The last day for students is Thursday, May 27, 2027.

The grading calendar is split by school level. Elementary schools use three trimesters: August 10 to November 2, November 4 to February 12, and February 16 to the end of May. Secondary schools use four quarters, with the first quarter ending October 9 and the second ending December 18, which closes the first semester. The second semester begins January 5, 2027, and the fourth quarter starts on March 30 after spring break. A family with one child in elementary school and another in middle or high school will see different grading dates.

Florida requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in instructional hours, and the district posts attendance days by term. It lists 85 days in the first semester and 94 in the second. School start and end times vary by campus and level, and the district keeps a dedicated bell times page on its website. Check your own school’s schedule rather than relying on a district-wide number.

School Holidays and Breaks

The district’s official 2026-27 key dates include these student holidays:

• Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2026
• Fall holiday: Monday, September 21, 2026
• Fall holiday: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
• Thanksgiving break: November 23 through 27, 2026
• Winter break: December 21, 2026 through January 1, 2027
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 18, 2027
• Spring holiday: Wednesday, March 10, 2027
• Spring break: March 22 through 26, 2027, plus a teacher workday on March 29 before students return March 30
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 31, 2027, after the last day of school

Presidents’ Day on February 15, 2027 is also a no-school day for students, since teachers use it for work or professional development. Because the district lists the two single-day fall holidays and the March 10 spring holiday separately from the main breaks, parents should mark all three on the calendar early. As with every district, these dates can change, and the posted key dates page is the final word.

Families in Central Florida often compare districts when moving or planning visits across the state. The Osceola County schools calendar and the Palm Beach County schools calendar line up on the start of school and Thanksgiving week in 2026-27, but they part ways at spring break. Osceola’s break runs March 15 through 19, while Palm Beach County’s runs March 22 through 26. Osceola’s school year also ends a day earlier, which can matter for relatives, camps and summer travel. Reviewing both calendars side by side helps when a family has ties to both counties.

How to Find the Official Palm Beach County School Calendar

The official source is palmbeachschools.org. Open the School Calendar section and choose the 2026-2027 Key Dates page, which the district publishes for each year and lists alongside prior years. The page covers holidays, teacher work days, grading periods and emergency make-up policy. A district calendar page and a mobile app also carry events.

Calendar adoption happens at a School Board meeting. One published summary says the board approved the 2026-27 calendar on April 15, 2026, but check the district site for the adopted version and any revisions. As of the key dates page, report card distribution dates were still listed as to be announced, so look for updates during the school year. Individual schools also keep calendars for open houses, testing nights, sports and performances, and those events do not always appear on the district-wide page.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays, and Professional Development

Palm Beach County separates teacher time into two kinds of days, and the label differs by school level. The no-student teacher days in 2026-27 are October 12, November 3, January 4, February 15, March 29 and May 28. On some of them, secondary teachers have a work day while elementary teachers have professional development, and on others the roles are reversed. On May 28, both groups have a duty day to close out the year.

The district’s published key dates do not list a recurring early release schedule, so any early dismissal tends to be announced by the individual school. Ask your school how it notifies families, especially if you rely on a school bus or after-school program. Florida also requires ongoing teacher training, and some of it happens during these professional development days.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Palm Beach County is a hurricane-prone coastal county, and storms are the main reason schools close. Snow is not a factor. The calendar addresses lost time directly: emergency make-up days are at the superintendent’s discretion in accordance with state statute for student instructional time. That means the district decides after a storm how to recover days, rather than listing fixed make-up dates in advance.

Closure decisions are made by the superintendent with Palm Beach County emergency management, and evacuation orders for coastal and low-lying zones can affect whether families can get to school. School buildings are sometimes used as shelters, which can extend closures. The district posts closures on its website and social media accounts and through its mobile app and automated messages. Local media that cover Palm Beach County include WPTV NewsChannel 5, WPBF 25, CBS12 (WPEC), WFLX Fox 29, the Palm Beach Post and the Sun Sentinel. Keep your contact information current with your child’s school so district messages reach you.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

The school year closes in late May, with final exams for secondary students in the last days of the fourth quarter. High school graduations take place at the end of the school year, and a separate summer graduation is held for students who finish later. The district posts video recordings of each school’s ceremony online, from Boca Raton Community High and Spanish River in the south to Jupiter Community High and Palm Beach Gardens in the north, plus Glades Central and Pahokee in the west. Venues and ticket rules differ by school, so check with your school each spring.

Elementary and middle schools hold promotion and awards events in the final weeks. Grades are available through the district’s SIS Parent Gateway, and elementary report cards follow each trimester, while secondary report cards follow each quarter. Distribution dates were not yet published on the key dates page.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

New families register through the district’s student registration page. Florida requires proof of age such as a birth certificate, proof of Palm Beach County residency, and a Florida immunization record, and the district posts its school-entry health requirements online. Parents should also use the district’s zoned school lookup tool to confirm the assigned school, and kindergarten has its own registration page.

Families whose children ride the bus can register through the district’s transportation tools. Supply lists are generally posted on school websites over the summer, and each school sets its own open house or orientation date. Use the district’s enrollment inquiry form if you cannot find what you need.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Most programs follow the district calendar, with a few exceptions to watch for:

• Choice and career academies: The district runs a large choice program with its own application and audition process. Applications for the 2027-2028 school year are already open on the district site, so deadlines come well before the school year starts.
• Specialty schools: Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and SouthTech Academy, among others, hold their own auditions, open houses and events.
• International Baccalaureate: The district offers IB programs from elementary through high school, with IB exams following the IB calendar in May.
• Dual enrollment: Students can take college courses through Palm Beach State College and Florida Atlantic University, which keep their own academic calendars.
• Virtual option: Palm Beach Virtual School serves grades K-5 and 6-12 with full-time and part-time enrollment, though online students still follow state testing windows.
• Pre-K: VPK programs are offered at certain school sites and through Head Start locations, and hours and start dates may differ from the K-12 schedule.
• Alternative education: The district operates alternative schools and adult education programs on separate schedules.

The district does not publish a year-round calendar for its traditional schools. Summer learning programs and camps are listed on the district’s summer learning page.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar Context

High school athletics in Palm Beach County are governed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), not the school board. The athletic calendar is separate from the academic one but linked to it. Fall sports such as football start practice around the opening of school in August, and playoff schedules can overlap with holidays like the November 11 fall holiday. Spring sports run into the final weeks of the fourth quarter, so exams and travel can collide. Check with your school’s athletic department for current season dates.

Florida Calendar Requirements and How State Law Governs Palm Beach County

The Florida Department of Education and the State Board of Education set the framework every district follows. State law requires 180 instructional days or the hourly equivalent, and Florida’s August 10 start-date rule sets the earliest day districts may open, which is why Palm Beach County opens on August 10 this year. The state also sets testing windows for statewide assessments, which shapes where breaks and teacher days fall.

Within those limits, the School Board decides the placement of holidays, quarters and trimesters, and teacher workdays. That local control is why Palm Beach County can add September 21, November 11 and March 10 as student holidays and schedule spring break a week after Orange and Osceola. The state’s rules on instructional time also govern how the superintendent handles make-up days after a storm.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Palm Beach County, Florida?
For 2026-27, school starts Monday, August 10, 2026.

When does school get out for summer in Palm Beach County?
The last day for students is Thursday, May 27, 2027, with a teacher work day on May 28.

How many days are in a school year in Palm Beach County?
Florida requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in hours. The district lists 85 days in the first semester and 94 in the second for secondary schools.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Palm Beach County?
Check palmbeachschools.org, the district mobile app and social media, watch for automated messages, and follow WPTV, WPBF, CBS12, WFLX, the Palm Beach Post or the Sun Sentinel.

What is the spring break schedule for Palm Beach County schools?
Spring break is March 22 through 26, 2027, with a teacher workday on March 29 and students returning March 30. There is also a one-day spring holiday on March 10.

How do I enroll my child in Palm Beach County schools?
Start with the district’s student registration page. Bring proof of age, proof of residency and immunization records, and use the zoned school lookup to confirm your school.

Are there any year-round schools in Palm Beach County?
The district does not publish a year-round calendar for its traditional schools. Summer programs are listed on the district’s summer learning page.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Palm Beach County?
Start with your child’s school, then the School District of Palm Beach County at 3300 Forest Hill Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406, phone (561) 434-8000.