Planning around the school year in South Florida is basically a high-stakes puzzle. You’re trying to beat the Disney crowds, book a flight before prices triple, or just figure out when you actually need a babysitter. Honestly, the pbc school calendar 25-26 has a few quirks this time around that might trip you up if you're just glancing at the PDF.
The Palm Beach County School Board officially locked these dates in late 2024, so we aren't guessing anymore. We have the firm start, the long breaks, and those annoying "teacher duty days" that always seem to pop up on a random Monday.
The Big Dates: When the Chaos Begins
The first day of school is Monday, August 11, 2025.
That’s a big one. It feels early, but it’s actually right in line with the district's recent trend of getting kids back in the classroom before the mid-August heat really peaks. Teachers, of course, are back much earlier for their pre-school planning, but for the kids, August 11 is the "big bang."
If you're already looking toward the finish line, the last day of school for the pbc school calendar 25-26 is Friday, May 29, 2026.
It’s a long haul. Between those two dates, there’s a lot of ground to cover.
Breaking Down the Fall Semester
September starts with the usual breather—Labor Day on September 1. But things get interesting later in the month. There is a "Fall Holiday" scheduled for September 23, 2025. Most people assume this is just a random day off, but it often aligns with religious observances like Rosh Hashanah, though the district labels it broadly.
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October has its own speed bumps. You’ve got a teacher work day on October 17, which marks the end of the first quarter. This is usually when parents realize they haven't checked the SIS Gateway in three weeks and scramble to see if their middle schooler is actually turning in their math homework.
Thanksgiving and the Winter Stretch
Thanksgiving break is a full week off. I know some districts in other states only give three days, but Palm Beach sticks to the Monday through Friday model. The break runs from November 24 to November 28, 2025.
Winter Break is the big one. It officially starts on Monday, December 22, 2025, and students don't return until Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Note that Monday, January 5, is a teacher work day. Don't be that parent who pulls up to the car loop on Monday morning wondering why the gates are locked. We've all been there.
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2026: The Long Road to Summer
Once we hit January, the calendar feels like a sprint and a crawl at the same time.
- January 19: MLK Jr. Day (No school)
- February 18: Another teacher work day/PD day. (Yes, another Wednesday/mid-week break to juggle).
- March 16 - March 20: Spring Break.
Spring break is always a point of contention. Palm Beach County usually tries to align with neighboring counties, but it doesn't always happen. For the pbc school calendar 25-26, that third week of March is your window for vacations.
One thing people often overlook is the "Spring Holiday" on April 3, 2026. It's a Friday, making for a nice three-day weekend right when everyone is starting to feel that end-of-year burnout.
The Final Push
May is relatively quiet until the very end. Memorial Day is May 25, 2026, and since the last day of school is May 29, that final week is basically just a countdown of finals, locker cleanouts, and yearbooks.
What Most People Miss: The "Fine Print"
There’s a nuance to the pbc school calendar 25-26 that usually gets lost in the shuffle: Hurricane make-up days.
Living in Florida, we know the drill. If we get hit with a storm in September or October, the district has to make up those instructional minutes. Usually, they take away one of those "Teacher Planning" days or, in worst-case scenarios, shave a couple of days off the beginning of Thanksgiving or Winter break.
Keep an eye on the local news around October. If the district stays lucky and misses the storms, the calendar stays as-is. If not, those "no school" days for students become "actually, you have to go" days.
Why the 2026 Start Time Change Matters
While it’s not strictly a "date" on the calendar, 2026 is a massive year for Palm Beach County because of the state-mandated school start times. By law, high schools can't start earlier than 8:30 a.m. and middle schools can't start before 8:00 a.m.
This change technically goes into full effect by the 2026-2027 year, but the district has been "phasing in" the logic during the 25-26 session. If you have a kid transitioning from elementary to middle school this year, the bus schedule is going to look a lot different than it did for your older kids.
Actionable Steps for Parents
- Sync Your Digital Calendar Now: Don't wait until August. Put the teacher work days in your phone today. Specifically, mark October 17, January 5, February 18, and March 23. These are the "hidden" days off that ruin work schedules.
- Book Spring Break Early: March 16-20 will be the most expensive week for flights out of PBI or FLL. If you’re traveling, booking 6-9 months out is the only way to avoid the South Florida "Spring Break tax."
- Verify Senior Dates: If you have a graduating senior in the Class of 2026, their last day is usually a week or two earlier than May 29. The district typically releases specific graduation windows in late 2025.
- Check the "Choice" Deadlines: If you’re looking at magnet schools or "Choice" programs for the following year, the application window usually opens in November 2025 and closes in January 2026. This calendar year is when you need to do the tours.
The pbc school calendar 25-26 is finally set in stone. Now it’s just a matter of surviving the 180 days of packed lunches and carpool lines.