Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE): 2026-27 School Calendar

The Hawaii Department of Education 2026-27 school year begins on Monday, August 3, 2026, and ends on Thursday, May 27, 2027. Teacher workdays (no students) are July 28-31, 2026. This is earlier than many mainland districts, so military families who recently PCS'd to Hawaii should note the early August start date.

Hawaii DOE has three major breaks: Fall Break (October 5-9, 2026), Winter Break (December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027), and Spring Break (March 15-19, 2027). These breaks apply to all HIDOE schools statewide across Oahu, Big Island, Maui County (Maui, Molokai, Lanai), and Kauai. Perfect for planning inter-island trips or visiting family on the mainland!

Yes! Hawaii observes unique state holidays in addition to federal holidays. Your keiki will have school off for: Prince Kuhio Day (March 26, 2027) and Good Friday (March 26, 2027) — notably, both fall on the same day in 2027. Federal holidays like Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day are also observed.

HIDOE operates on a two-semester system. Semester 1 runs from August 3 - December 18, 2026 (ending before winter break). Semester 2 runs from January 5 - May 27, 2027 for students (January 4 is a teacher workday, with students returning January 5). The teacher work year mirrors this: Semester 1 is July 28, 2026 - January 4, 2027, and Semester 2 is January 5 - May 28, 2027. This applies across all seven HIDOE districts statewide.

Great question! Here are the exact dates for planning keiki activities like surf camp, hula competitions, or family trips: Fall Break is October 5-9, 2026 (Monday-Friday, perfect for a long weekend to Maui or Kauai), Winter Break is December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027 (includes Christmas and New Year's, great for visiting mainland family), and Spring Break is March 15-19, 2027 (Monday-Friday, ideal for Big Island volcano tours or Neighbor Island adventures). Many families use these breaks for the Queen Liliuokalani Keiki Hula Competition or inter-island surf camps!

Yes! Teacher professional development (PD) days happen before the school year starts: July 28-31, 2026 (no students these days - teacher workdays only). Students' first day is August 3, 2026. Individual schools may also have early release days or school-specific PD days throughout the year, which vary by complex area. Check with your specific school for their early release schedule, but this calendar covers all the statewide HIDOE dates that apply to every school across Oahu's Honolulu/Central/Leeward/Windward districts, Hawaii District, Maui District, and Kauai District.

Yes! The Hawaii Department of Education uses one unified statewide calendar for all public schools across all islands — Oahu, Maui, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai. The same start date, end date, breaks, and holidays apply everywhere. This makes planning easy for families with keiki on different islands or those transferring between schools.

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 26, 2026, and the Day After Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is also a school holiday. Combined with the weekend, your keiki will have a 4-day break from Thursday through Sunday. Many Hawaii families use this time for inter-island visits or mainland travel. Students return on Monday, November 30, 2026.

Hawaii's school year starts earlier than most mainland districts — August 3, 2026 vs. late August or early September on the mainland. Hawaii also has a unique Fall Break in October (October 5-9) that most mainland schools don't have. The school year ends in late May (May 27, 2027), which is similar to mainland districts. Additionally, Hawaii observes Prince Kuhio Day, a state holiday not observed on the mainland.

In 2027, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day (March 26) and Good Friday (March 26) fall on the same date. Schools will be closed for this combined holiday. The Hawaii Department of Human Resources may designate an additional holiday to compensate, as state employees are typically entitled to both holidays. Check with your specific school for any additional day off that may be granted.

Our auto-syncing Google Calendar subscription keeps all HIDOE 2026-27 dates on your phone automatically. Once you subscribe, every holiday, break, and important date appears in your calendar app — and if HIDOE makes any changes, your calendar updates automatically. No more manually checking PDFs or school websites. Works with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, and any app that supports calendar subscriptions.