Seminole County florida schools calendar

Packed into one of Florida’s smallest counties by land area, Seminole County Public Schools serves roughly 66,000 students in about 74 schools across Sanford, Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Casselberry and Longwood. Families here benefit from unusual planning lead time, since the school board adopts calendars well in advance and the district posts them for several years at a time.

Parents who split time between Central Florida and the Gulf Coast can read the Seminole County schools calendar alongside the Sarasota County schools calendar, because the two districts line up more closely than most. Both start on August 10 and take spring break March 15 through 19, but Sarasota adds two mini breaks in the spring and ends one day later, so the finish lines differ slightly.

School District Structure in Seminole County

Seminole County has a single public school district, Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS), governed by the Seminole County School Board. The district’s administrative offices are in Sanford, the county seat, and the board holds public meetings, with a school board calendar of dates and times posted on the district website, scps.k12.fl.us. A superintendent leads day-to-day operations.

There are no separate city school systems within the county. Students in Sanford, Lake Mary, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood and the unincorporated areas all attend schools under the same board and calendar. The district operates traditional neighborhood schools, choice programs, career and technical offerings and alternative options. Charter schools run as public schools with their own governing boards and may keep calendars that differ from the district’s, and private schools set their own dates.

Seminole is largely suburban, part of the greater Orlando metro area, with older urban neighborhoods in Sanford and fast-growing communities toward the east. That density makes transportation and traffic a regular consideration, especially along Interstate 4 and State Road 417.

Academic Calendar Structure

For 2026-27, teachers have a pre-planning period in early August, and students begin on Monday, August 10, 2026. The last day for students is Tuesday, May 25, 2027, which also ends the fourth quarter. May 26 and 27 are post-planning days for teachers.

SCPS uses a four-quarter structure with two semesters. The first quarter ends October 9, 2026, and the second quarter begins October 13. The second quarter ends December 18, just before winter break. Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and Seminole’s calendar is built to meet that requirement.

The district posts a calendar for the current year and the following two, and the 2026-27 calendar was approved by the school board in May 2025. That is unusually early, so families can plan long-range trips with confidence, though it is still wise to check for revisions.

Daily start and dismissal times are set by level and school, so elementary, middle and high school hours differ across the county. Check your school’s page or the district’s transportation information.

School Holidays and Breaks

The 2026-27 calendar includes these closures:

• Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2026.
• Teacher workday: October 12, 2026, a student holiday between quarters.
• Veterans Day: Observed in November, so check the district calendar for the exact status.
• Thanksgiving break: November 23 through 27, 2026.
• Winter break: December 21, 2026 through January 3, 2027.
• District professional development day: January 5, 2027, a student holiday.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Observed in January with schools closed.
• Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 15, 2027.
• Spring break: March 15 through 19, 2027.
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 31, 2027, after the school year ends.

Exact dates change year to year, so use this as the current adopted schedule and confirm it on the district website before booking travel. With spring break falling in mid-March, expect Orlando-area attractions and Florida beaches to be busy, so book early.

How to Find the Official Seminole County Calendar

The official calendars are on the district website at scps.k12.fl.us. The calendars page links to general calendars, including the school board meeting calendar, and to student calendars for 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 in both text and block formats. The 2026-27 Student Attendance Calendar is the document most families need.

The School Board adopts the calendar at a public meeting, and agendas and minutes are posted online. Individual schools publish their own calendars for open houses, athletics, concerts, parent nights and testing events. If your children attend different schools, you will usually need the district calendar plus each school’s page.

Early Release Days, Teacher Workdays and Professional Development

Teachers report before students and stay after them. The calendar lists pre-planning days in early August and post-planning days on May 26 and 27, 2027. During the year, students are out for a teacher workday on October 12, 2026 and a district professional development day on January 5, 2027, which teachers use for planning, grading and training.

SCPS also includes makeup days and teacher workdays that serve as backup days if storms cost instructional time, and early dismissals are tied to the end of the year and other scheduled events. The district announces schedule changes through the calendar, school messages, automated calls, texts and email, so keep your contact information current in the parent portal. Florida sets training requirements for teachers, and the district decides how to place professional development within the calendar.

Emergency Closures and Weather Days

Seminole County is inland, but Central Florida is not spared by hurricane season. Storms such as Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Ian in 2022 brought heavy rain, wind and flooding to the area, with rivers and lakes such as the St. Johns River and Lake Jesup rising in the aftermath. The district decides on closures in coordination with Seminole County Emergency Management, and schools can serve as shelters, which can prompt early closures.

If instructional time is lost, the district can use built-in makeup days, add days or seek relief from the state, depending on the circumstances. Check the district’s notices for the current plan.

Closure announcements go out through the district’s automated call, text and email system, scps.k12.fl.us and the district’s social media. Local news also carries them, including WESH 2, WFTV 9, WKMG 6, Fox 35 Orlando, Spectrum News 13 and the Orlando Sentinel.

Graduation and End-of-Year Schedule

Final exams for secondary students are held in the last weeks of the spring semester, and each school publishes its own exam schedule. With the last student day on May 25, 2027, high school graduations are generally held in the weeks before and around the end of May. Each school announces its ceremony date, time and venue, and ceremonies are often held at larger arenas and school stadiums.

Elementary and middle schools hold promotion and recognition events near the end of the year. Report cards are issued at the end of each quarter, and families can view grades through the district’s online parent portal.

Back-to-School and Registration Information

Families new to Seminole can register through the district’s enrollment process or by contacting their zoned school. Assignments follow attendance zones, so the school your child attends depends on your address. The district also runs choice and specialty program applications with their own deadlines, usually well before the next school year. Registration typically requires:

• Proof of residency in Seminole County, such as a lease, mortgage statement or utility bill
• The child’s birth certificate or other proof of age
• A Florida immunization record
• A school entry health exam on the required Florida form
• Records from the prior school, if transferring

Supply lists are usually posted by individual schools during the summer, and Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday typically falls in August. Orientation and meet-the-teacher dates vary by school, so contact your school’s office for details.

Special Programs and Their Calendar Implications

Most Seminole programs follow the district calendar, but some differ. Students taking dual enrollment courses through Seminole State College or the University of Central Florida follow the college’s calendar for those classes, and its start dates and breaks differ from the K-12 schedule. Career and technical programs may add their own events and requirements, and choice programs often have separate application and audition dates.

Pre-K programs, including Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten program, may use different hours or calendars, so confirm with the specific program. Alternative schools and virtual learning options may have their own enrollment windows. Charter and private schools in the county set their own calendars.

Athletics and Extracurricular Calendar

High school athletics in Seminole are governed by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which sets season dates, eligibility and playoff schedules. Athletic calendars are separate from the academic calendar but connected to it. Football and volleyball begin near the start of school, winter sports run through the holiday break, and spring sports overlap with the mid-March break and end-of-year exams. Coaches may schedule practices or games during breaks, so check with your school’s athletic department.

How Florida Law Governs the Seminole County Calendar

The Florida Legislature and the Florida Department of Education set the framework for every district’s calendar. The state requires 180 instructional days or the equivalent in hours, limits how early school can start in August, and schedules statewide assessments that districts must plan around. Seminole follows the statewide FAST assessment calendar.

Within those limits, the Seminole County School Board decides start and end dates, quarter breaks, holiday closures and planning days. That authority explains the district’s particular choices, such as opening on the earliest allowed date, ending before Memorial Day and approving calendars years in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does school start in Seminole County, Florida?
For 2026-27, the first day for students is Monday, August 10, 2026.

When does school get out for summer in Seminole County?
The last day for students is Tuesday, May 25, 2027.

How many days are in a school year in Seminole County?
Florida requires 180 instructional days or an equivalent in hours, and Seminole builds its calendar to meet that standard.

How do I find out if school is cancelled today in Seminole County?
Watch for district calls, texts and emails, check scps.k12.fl.us and the district’s social media, and follow local news including WESH 2, WFTV 9, WKMG 6, Fox 35 Orlando, Spectrum News 13 and the Orlando Sentinel.

What is the spring break schedule for Seminole County schools?
Spring break for 2026-27 runs March 15 through 19, 2027.

How do I enroll my child in Seminole County schools?
Contact your zoned school or the district office. You will need proof of residency, a birth certificate, immunization records and a health exam form.

Are there any year-round schools in Seminole County?
Seminole County Public Schools operates on a traditional calendar. Confirm with the district if a particular program follows a different schedule.

Who do I contact about school calendar questions in Seminole County?
Start with your child’s school office, then the district office in Sanford or the contact information on scps.k12.fl.us.