School District of Philadelphia (SDP): 2026-27 School Calendar

The first day of school for SDP students in grades 1-12 is Monday, August 24, 2026. Kindergarten students have interviews from August 24-26 and begin classes on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Staff report the week before (August 17-21) for professional development.

The last day of school for students is Wednesday, June 9, 2027, and it is a full day. Staff have their last day on Thursday, June 10, 2027. The graduation window runs June 7-9, 2027.

Winter Recess runs from Wednesday, December 23, 2026 through Thursday, December 31, 2026. New Year's Day (January 1, 2027) is also a holiday. Students return to school on Monday, January 4, 2027, which also marks the opening of the first Keystone testing window.

Spring Recess runs from Monday, March 22, 2027 through Thursday, March 25, 2027. Good Friday, March 26, is also a school holiday, and Easter Monday, March 29, is a staff professional development day with schools closed for students. Students return on Tuesday, March 30, 2027.

Yes. SDP closes for Yom Kippur on Monday, September 21, 2026. SDP does not close for Rosh Hashanah, but students may request excused absences for religious observance. The district also observes Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Good Friday, reflecting Philadelphia's cultural diversity.

The Board of Education approved amendments in March 2026 that eliminate half-day schedules. Kindergarten interviews now run three consecutive full days (August 24-26) instead of five half days. Report card conferences are full days instead of two half-day sessions. Staff receive 12 full professional development days instead of seven full and seven half days. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25) is now a full student holiday, and Easter Monday (March 29) is a staff-only professional development day.

PSSA testing for grades 3-8 runs from April 26 to May 7, 2027. Keystone exams for high school students have two windows: January 4-15, 2027 and May 17-28, 2027. Individual school schedules within these windows may vary.

SDP coordinates with the City of Philadelphia, National Weather Service, and SEPTA before making closure decisions. Announcements are made via the SDP app, the district website (philasd.org), KYW Newsradio (1060 AM), and local TV stations including 6ABC, NBC10, and CBS3. Weather closures may be designated as remote learning days rather than full days off.

Yes. This is the official district-wide academic calendar that applies to all School District of Philadelphia schools, including neighborhood schools, special admission schools like Central High, Masterman, and CAPA, and citywide admission schools. Individual schools may have additional events but follow this master calendar for holidays, breaks, and testing windows.

Wednesday, November 25, 2026 is a full day off for students (amended from the original calendar). Thanksgiving Recess includes Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27. Students return on Monday, November 30, 2026.

Yes. The 2026-27 calendar includes closures for Eid al-Fitr (Wednesday, March 10, 2027) and Eid al-Adha (Monday, May 17, 2027). Lunar New Year falls on a weekend in the 2026-27 school year, so it does not result in a separate school closure. SDP does not close for Rosh Hashanah, but students may request excused absences for religious observance.

Yes, SDP schools close for Election Day on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (midterm general election). Many SDP school buildings serve as polling locations, necessitating the closure.

SDP's calendar is specific to the city of Philadelphia. Surrounding districts like Lower Merion, Cheltenham, Haverford, and Radnor in the suburbs set their own calendars with different start dates, break schedules, and holidays. SDP also observes more cultural holidays than most suburban districts, including Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

The SDP 2026-27 school year has four terms. Term 1 runs August 24 to November 5 (48 instructional days), Term 2 runs November 6 to January 25 (42 days), Term 3 runs January 26 to April 6 (41 days), and Term 4 runs April 7 through June 9 (42 days), totaling 173 instructional days.

Kindergarten interviews run for three consecutive full days from Monday, August 24 through Wednesday, August 26, 2026. This is a change from the original five half-day format. Kindergarten students begin their first full day of school on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

The amended 2026-27 calendar eliminates most half-day schedules. Professional development days and report card conferences are now full days when schools are closed for students, rather than three-hour early dismissal days. This change aims to improve attendance and simplify scheduling for families.