Howard County Public School System Calendar 2025-2026
HCPSS calendar 2025-2026 dates for Howard County Public School System, including the first day, Howard County last day of school 2026, spring break, winter break, Thanksgiving break, PDF download, and calendar file.
Key Dates
| Event | Date(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | August 25, 2025 (Mon) | School Opens |
| Labor Day | September 1, 2025 (Mon) | No School |
| Rosh Hashanah | September 23, 2025 (Tue) | No School |
| Yom Kippur | October 2, 2025 (Thu) | No School |
| Student Holiday | October 17, 2025 (Fri) | No School |
| Diwali | October 20, 2025 (Mon) | No School |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 26, 2025 - November 28, 2025 | No School |
| Winter Break | December 24, 2025 - January 2, 2026 | No School |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 19, 2026 (Mon) | No School |
| Student Holiday | January 26, 2026 (Mon) | No School |
| Student Holiday | February 4, 2026 (Wed) | No School |
| Presidents Day | February 16, 2026 (Mon) | No School |
| Schools and offices closed | February 17, 2026 (Tue) | No School |
| Student Holiday | March 20, 2026 (Fri) | No School |
| Spring Break | March 30, 2026 - April 3, 2026 | No School |
| Memorial Day | May 25, 2026 (Mon) | No School |
| Eid al-Adha | May 27, 2026 (Wed) | No School |
| Last Day of School | June 18, 2026 (Thu) | School Closes |
| Juneteenth | June 19, 2026 (Fri) | No School |
| Election Day | June 23, 2026 (Tue) | No School |
Monthly Calendar MarylandSchoolCalendar.com
View the full 2025-2026 school year by month.
Calendar Notes
Howard County started K-12 students on August 25, 2025, with Pre-K and RECC students beginning August 28. That opening aligns more closely with Baltimore County than with Carroll and Harford, which began after Labor Day. Families with younger students should treat August 28 as the relevant first day for Pre-K and RECC rather than assuming the K-12 start applies to every program.
Howard's 2025-2026 calendar has a long list of single-day closures tied to religious observances, professional work days, conferences, and countywide professional learning. It also has three-hour early dismissals on September 17, October 31, November 12, November 24, November 25, January 22, January 23 for middle and high schools, April 15, June 16, June 17, and June 18. The two early dismissals before Thanksgiving are especially important because the formal Thanksgiving Break is only November 27-28.
The end of the year is later than several surrounding systems: June 18, 2026 is labeled as the last day of school with a three-hour early dismissal, while Half-Day Pre-K/RECC ends June 15. The dates-only source reviewed for this page does not show an explicit inclement-weather make-up rule, so families should verify late-year changes directly with HCPSS if closures occur.
- First day for K-12 students: August 25, 2025
- Last day: June 18, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Howard County Public School System lists Thursday, June 18, 2026 as the last day of school, with schools closing three hours early.
The HCPSS calendar 2025-2026 is summarized on this Howard County Public School System page, including first day, last day, major breaks, PDF download, and calendar file links.
K-12 students start on Monday, August 25, 2025. Pre-K and RECC students start on August 28.
The last day is Thursday, June 18, 2026, with schools closing three hours early.
No explicit inclement weather make-up day rule appears in the official dates-only calendar reviewed for this page.
The first day of school for Howard County Public School System students is Monday, August 25, 2025. Teachers typically report a few days earlier for staff development. Parents should check the district website for any orientation sessions, supply list deadlines, or staggered-start schedules that may apply to younger grades.
Howard County Public School System Winter Break runs from December 24, 2025 through January 2, 2026 — that's 8 school days off. Including the adjacent weekends, families have up to 12 consecutive days for holiday travel and family time. Students return to class on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Howard County Public School System Thanksgiving Break is November 27, 2025 through November 28, 2025, giving students 2 weekdays off. With the surrounding weekends, families get 4 consecutive days away from school — enough time for out-of-state travel or extended family gatherings.
Howard County Public School System Spring Break is March 30, 2026 through April 3, 2026 - 5 school days off. Including the weekends on either side, families have up to 9 consecutive days for vacation planning. Note that neighboring school systems may have different Spring Break weeks, so coordinate if you have children in multiple systems.
Yes, Howard County Public School System lists 11 early release or half-days for the 2025-2026 school year: Three-hour early dismissal on September 17, 2025; Three-hour early dismissal on October 31, 2025; Three-hour early dismissal on November 12, 2025; Three-hour early dismissal on November 24, 2025; Three-hour early dismissal on November 25, 2025. Dismissal times on these days typically differ between elementary and secondary campuses, so check with your child's school for the exact schedule. Arrange childcare or after-school plans accordingly.
Related Links
About This Calendar
Data Source: Official Howard County Public School System 2025-2026 Dates Only Calendar PDF.
Disclaimer: This website is not affiliated with Howard County Public School System, the Maryland State Department of Education, or any official school system body. While we strive for accuracy, always verify important dates with the official school system website.