Listen, trying to plan a family vacation or even just a dental appointment in Florida shouldn’t feel like you’re solving a Rubik’s Cube. But here we are. The Palm Beach County school calendar 2025 is officially out, and if you’re a parent, teacher, or just someone who hates getting stuck in school-zone traffic on Military Trail, you need the highlights.
It’s official. The School Board of Palm Beach County has locked in the dates. We’re looking at an earlier start than some might like, but that’s the trade-off for getting out before June heat turns the playground slides into literal frying pans.
The Big Dates: When Does School Actually Start?
Mark your phones. Set an alarm. Maybe weep a little into your iced coffee.
The first day of school for the 2025-2026 year is Monday, August 11, 2025.
Teachers are back even earlier, obviously. They start their pre-school "duty days" on August 4. If you have a kindergartner, you're probably already panicking about school supplies. Honestly, the "Back to School" sales will probably start appearing in stores while you're still buying fireworks for the Fourth of July.
Why August 11?
Florida law used to keep districts from starting too early, but those rules have mostly loosened up. The district likes to get the first semester wrapped up before Winter Break. Nobody wants to spend their Christmas vacation worrying about a geometry final. By starting August 11, they can squeeze in enough instructional days to kill off the first half of the year by late December.
The year finally wraps up on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Thanksgiving and Winter Break: The Survival Guide
We’ve all been there—trying to book a flight to see grandma and realizing the prices tripled because you waited two days too long.
For 2025, Thanksgiving Break is a full week. You’ve got November 24 through November 28, 2025 off. Basically, the kids are out the entire week of the holiday. If you're planning to hit Disney or fly out of PBI, that Monday and Tuesday are your best bets before the chaos truly peaks.
Winter Break is the big one. It kicks off on Monday, December 22, 2025, and runs through Monday, January 5, 2026.
Note the weirdness there: Students actually return on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Monday the 5th is a "Teacher Work Day." Don’t be the parent who drops their kid off at the bus stop on Monday morning only to realize the lights are off and the gates are locked. It happens every year.
Spring Break and Those Random "Day-Off" Mondays
Spring Break for 2026 is scheduled for March 16 through March 20, 2026.
Add in the weekends and the Teacher Work Day on Monday, March 23, and the kids don’t actually step back into a classroom until Tuesday, March 24. It’s a solid stretch of time. If you’re staying local, expect the traffic near Jupiter and Delray beaches to be absolutely legendary.
Then there are the "Fall Holidays."
- September 1, 2025: Labor Day (District Closed)
- September 23, 2025: Fall Holiday
- October 2, 2025: Fall Holiday
Wait, what are these "Fall Holidays"? Usually, the district tries to align these with religious holidays like Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur without explicitly naming them on the public-facing "Key Dates" summary to keep things secular, but they provide much-needed breathing room in the long stretch of the first quarter.
Professional Development Days (The "Hidden" Days Off)
This is where the Palm Beach County school calendar 2025 gets tricky.
There are days when students stay home, but the district isn't "closed." These are Duty Days or Professional Development Days (PDD).
For example, October 17, 2025, is a big one. It’s the end of the first nine weeks for secondary schools. Students get the day off while teachers catch up on grading and probably drink a lot of caffeine.
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Another one to watch is February 16, 2026. While many parts of the country take Presidents' Day, Palm Beach County often uses this window for more teacher training. In 2026, students are off on Wednesday, February 18, for a PDD/Duty Day.
Wait, a Wednesday? Yeah. It’s a mid-week break. Sorta weird, but that’s how the chips fell this year.
Hurricane Make-Up Days: The Great "Maybe"
We live in Florida. Hurricane season is a real thing, and the district always builds in "Emergency Make-Up Days."
Usually, if we lose a day or two to a storm, the Superintendent can decide to take away one of the shorter holidays or a Teacher Work Day to make up the time. State law is pretty strict about how many instructional hours kids need. If 2025 is a particularly active storm season, don't be surprised if that October or February break suddenly disappears.
Actionable Steps for Parents
- Sync Your Google Calendar Now: Don't wait until August. Put the August 11 start date and the March 16 Spring Break in your phone today.
- Check the "Early Release" Schedule: While the big dates are set, individual schools sometimes have early dismissal for specific events. Keep an eye on your specific school's portal (SIS).
- Book Travel for "Odd" Days: If you can take a trip during those Fall Holidays in September and October, you’ll find much shorter lines than during the Thanksgiving rush.
- Confirm the MLK Day Closure: Schools and district offices are definitely closed on January 19, 2026. It's one of the few guaranteed three-day weekends in the second semester.
The Palm Beach County school calendar 2025 is pretty standard compared to previous years, but those small shifts in January and February return dates can catch you off guard. Print a copy, stick it on the fridge, and start counting down the days until next summer.