Hey Raha blog · School calendars
Winter break 2026-27 in six big US districts: last day, days off and return dates
Most big US districts close from Monday, December 21, 2026 through Friday, January 1, 2027, but the return day differs by up to a week. New York City, Fairfax County and Miami-Dade come back Monday, January 4; Chicago and Houston come back Tuesday, January 5 after a staff day; and Los Angeles Unified stays off until Monday, January 11. Here are the dates from each district's official 2026-27 calendar.
Winter break 2026-27 at a glance
| District | No school for students | Students return | What the calendar says |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City Public Schools | Thu Dec 24, 2026 to Fri Jan 1, 2027 | Mon Jan 4, 2027 | "Winter Recess, schools closed" Dec 24 to Jan 1 |
| Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD) | Mon Dec 21, 2026 to Fri Jan 8, 2027 | Mon Jan 11, 2027 (see note) | "Winter Break" 12-21-2026 thru 01-08-2027 |
| Chicago Public Schools | Mon Dec 21, 2026 to Mon Jan 4, 2027 | Tue Jan 5, 2027 | Winter Recess Dec 21 to Jan 1; Jan 4 professional development, no students; Jan 5 schools reopen |
| Houston ISD | Mon Dec 21, 2026 to Mon Jan 4, 2027 | Tue Jan 5, 2027 | Dec 21 to 31 recess; Jan 1 New Year's Day; Jan 4 staff PD day, no classes |
| Miami-Dade County Public Schools | Fri Dec 18, 2026 to Fri Jan 1, 2027 | Mon Jan 4, 2027 | Dec 18 teacher planning day, no students; winter recess Dec 21 to Jan 1 |
| Fairfax County Public Schools (VA) | Mon Dec 21, 2026 to Sun Jan 3, 2027 | Mon Jan 4, 2027 | "Holidays, Winter Break" Dec 21 to Jan 3 |
Checked against each district's published calendar on October 22, 2026. Calendars can be revised by board vote, so recheck in early December. Charter and private schools often differ.
LAUSD note: the calendar lets an individual school choose Monday, January 11, 2027 as a pupil-free day. If your school does, students return Tuesday, January 12. Your school will tell you; look for it in school emails or ParentSquare.
New York City note: NYC students are in school Monday, December 21 to Wednesday, December 23, later than most big districts.
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Try Hey Raha free for 14 daysPlanning the gap
- Work out your own dates. Match your child's last day and return day against your work calendar. In LA, the gap is three weeks.
- Watch the edges. The last day before break can be an early dismissal, and the return day can shift with a staff day.
- Line up cover early. Winter camps and sitters book up. If you use a sitter or nanny, give them the dates and the return day in writing.
- Plan for weather on the way back. January is snow season in Chicago, New York and Fairfax. Our snow days guide shows how to catch a closing alert.
Where the dates actually come from
Each district publishes the calendar on its website. Changes and school-level details, such as a pupil-free day or a holiday concert, usually arrive by email or through ParentSquare and the other school apps. The school emails survival guide has a system for collecting them. And if you are still planning November, see our Thanksgiving week planner.
How Raha pulls the dates into one family plan
Dates like these arrive in a calendar PDF in August, then change in a newsletter, a ParentSquare post or a teacher email weeks later. Hey Raha reads your school emails, read-only, picks out the days off, early dismissals and deadlines, and puts them into one family plan for each child. When a date changes, she flags it, and whoever helps with pickup, a partner, grandparent or sitter, can get the same plan.
Try free for 14 daysMarie, founder of Hey Raha
Related guides
- Thanksgiving break 2026: week planner and sitter brief
- Snow days and emergency closings
- PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, ParentSquare, ClassDojo and Seesaw decoded
- The US and Canada school emails survival guide
FAQ
When is winter break 2026-27 for NYC public schools?
New York City Public Schools close Thursday, December 24, 2026 through Friday, January 1, 2027, and students return Monday, January 4, 2027.
When does LAUSD go back after winter break 2026?
LAUSD winter break runs December 21, 2026 to January 8, 2027, and students return Monday, January 11, 2027, unless their school chose January 11 as a pupil-free day, in which case they return Tuesday, January 12.
When do Chicago Public Schools return in January 2027?
Chicago Public Schools reopen Tuesday, January 5, 2027. Winter recess is December 21 to January 1, and January 4 is a professional development day with no students.
When is Houston ISD winter break 2026?
Houston ISD has no classes December 21, 2026 through January 4, 2027, including a staff PD day on January 4. Students return Tuesday, January 5, 2027.
When is Miami-Dade winter break 2026-27?
Winter recess is December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027, and Friday, December 18 is a teacher planning day with no students. Students return Monday, January 4, 2027.
When is Fairfax County winter break 2026-27?
Fairfax County Public Schools list winter break as December 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Students return Monday, January 4, 2027.
Sources
- New York City Public Schools, 2026-2027 School Year Calendar
- Los Angeles Unified, Instructional School Calendar 2026-2027, board approved 3/11/2025 (PDF)
- Chicago Public Schools, 2026-2027 Calendar
- Houston ISD, 2026-2027 Yearly Calendar, Rev 4/6/26 (PDF)
- Miami-Dade County Public Schools, School Calendars page
- Fairfax County Public Schools, Standard School Year Calendar 2026-27
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