Maryland public schools do not all start on the same day. For the 2026-2027 school year, the first day of school ranges from Wednesday, August 19, 2026 in Frederick County Public Schools to Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Wicomico County Public Schools.
The table below lists the first day of school for all 24 Maryland local public school systems. Each district name links to its full calendar page, where you can also find major breaks, the last day of school, PDF downloads, and ICS calendar files when available.
Maryland School Start Dates 2026-2027
| School system | First day of school | Region | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County Public Schools | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | Western Maryland | Official |
| Anne Arundel County Public Schools | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Central Maryland | Official |
| Baltimore City Public Schools | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Central Maryland | Official |
| Baltimore County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Central Maryland | Official |
| Calvert County Public Schools | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | Southern Maryland | Official |
| Caroline County Public Schools | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Carroll County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Central Maryland | Official |
| Cecil County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Charles County Public Schools | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Southern Maryland | Official |
| Dorchester County Public Schools | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Frederick County Public Schools | Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | Capital Region | Official |
| Garrett County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Western Maryland | Official |
| Harford County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Central Maryland | Official |
| Howard County Public School System | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Central Maryland | Official |
| Kent County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Montgomery County Public Schools | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | Capital Region | Official |
| Prince George's County Public Schools | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | Capital Region | Official |
| Queen Anne's County Public Schools | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Somerset County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| St. Mary's County Public Schools | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | Southern Maryland | Official |
| Talbot County Public Schools | Monday, August 24, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Washington County Public Schools | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | Western Maryland | Official |
| Wicomico County Public Schools | Tuesday, September 1, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
| Worcester County Public Schools | Monday, August 31, 2026 | Eastern Shore | Official |
Which Maryland District Starts Earliest?
Frederick County Public Schools has the earliest listed first day in this dataset, with students starting on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
Most Maryland public school systems in this set start during the week of August 24, 2026 or August 31, 2026. Wicomico County Public Schools has the latest listed start date, Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
Why Maryland Start Dates Are Different by District
Maryland does not have one single statewide public school calendar. Each local school system publishes its own school year calendar, which means start dates, major breaks, teacher workdays, and last days can differ by district.
That is why families should check the specific school system calendar for their county or city. If you are comparing two districts for a move, custody schedule, commute, or childcare plan, use the Maryland school calendar comparison page to review key dates side by side.
How This Table Was Prepared
The dates in this guide come from the 2026-2027 calendar data currently used on Maryland School Calendar district pages. These pages are based on public school system calendar sources and are marked as official in the site data.
For more detail on our review process, see How We Collect and Organize Maryland School Calendar Dates. If you need to understand the difference between official, draft, and projected calendar labels, see Official, Draft, and Projected School Calendars.
School systems can revise calendars after publication because of board action, weather closures, emergency changes, or updated official documents. For final planning, always confirm dates with the latest official school system source.