District officials presented the draft calendar to the board of trustees during a Nov. 11 board meeting. The academic calendar was just a workshop item, and no action was taken by the board.
The overview
The proposed calendar accounts for the required 187 staff contractual days and 75,600 of instructional minutes for students.
Here are some important dates to note:
- First day of school: Aug. 13, 2026
- Thanksgiving break: Nov. 23-27, 2026
- Winter break: Dec. 21, 2026-Jan. 4, 2027
- Spring break: March 8-15, 2027
- Last day of school: May 27, 2027
A draft of the calendar can be found in the Nov. 11 meeting presentation.
Some context
Goals when creating the calendar included embedding staff professional development days throughout the year and ending the school year before Memorial Day, according to the meeting presentation. Another goal was to minimize the number of half days during the school year and provide adequate planning time for teachers.
Looking ahead
District staff are still taking feedback on the calendar from DISD stakeholders. A date to approve the calendar has not been announced by the district.

