Chicago, Illinois — Students in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) can look forward to a significantly longer summer break over the next two academic years after the district’s Board of Education officially adopted calendars for 2026–2027 and 2027–2028.
Under the newly approved schedules, K–12 students will receive up to 81 days of summer vacation in 2026 — roughly two weeks longer than the 67-day summer in 2025.
Summer 2026: 81 Days Off for K–12
For the 2025–2026 school year, classes will end on June 4, eight days earlier than the previous year. The following academic year will begin on August 24, 2026, extending summer break considerably.
That gap results in 81 days of summer vacation for K–12 students.
Pre-K students will enjoy even more time off — 83 days — with the school year ending June 3 and the next beginning August 25.
District officials say the adjustment reflects feedback gathered from parents, staff, and students.
“Our teaching and learning department took great care to collect meaningful data and responses from our community and school partners to ensure our academic calendar works best for the families we serve,” said Dr. Macquline King, CPS’ Interim CEO/Superintendent.
Summer 2027: Still Longer Than 2025
The 2026–2027 school year will conclude on June 11, 2027 for K–12 students and June 10 for Pre-K. The next school year begins on August 23, 2027 for K–12 and August 24 for Pre-K.
That creates a 73-day summer for K–12 students and 75 days for Pre-K — still longer than summer 2025, though shorter than the 81-day break in 2026.
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Instruction Days Remain the Same
Despite the longer summer breaks, CPS confirmed that both calendars maintain the same number of instructional days, including:
- 176 student attendance days
- 4 teacher institute days
- 4 school improvement days
- 2 parent-teacher conference days
- 4 professional development days
Officials noted that more than 36,000 survey responses helped shape the final decision.
Key Dates: 2026–2027
K–12
- First day: August 25, 2026
- Last day: June 1, 2027
Pre-K
- First day: August 25, 2026
- Last day: June 10, 2027
Winter Break: December 21, 2026 – January 1, 2027
Spring Break: March 22 – March 26, 2027
Key Dates: 2027–2028
K–12
- First day: August 23, 2027
- Last day: June 9, 2028
Pre-K
- First day: August 24, 2027
- Last day: June 8, 2028
Winter Break: December 20 – December 31, 2027
Spring Break: March 20 – March 24, 2028
CPS has not yet released details for the 2028–2029 calendar, though officials confirmed that the 2028 summer break will again begin earlier than in 2025.
Do you think longer summer breaks benefit students and families — or create new challenges? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
