Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools opened the 2026-27 school year on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The traditional calendar below was approved by the Board of Education on April 8, 2025, and runs through the last day of school on Wednesday, June 9, 2027. It guarantees a minimum of 1,063 instructional hours and includes 17 teacher workdays, 11 holidays and four early release days.
A regularly updated list of school closures and makeup days is available through the Calendar Quicklink at cmsk12.org.
Key Dates at a Glance
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug. 17–24, 2026 | Teacher workdays |
| Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026 | First day of school |
| Monday, Sep. 7 | Labor Day (no school) |
| Monday, Sep. 21 | Teacher workday |
| Friday, Oct. 2 | Teacher workday |
| Wednesday, Oct. 14 | Early release day |
| Friday, Oct. 30 | End of first quarter (46 days) |
| Monday–Tuesday, Nov. 2–3 | Teacher workdays |
| Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day (no school) |
| Wednesday, Nov. 25 | Teacher workday |
| Thursday–Friday, Nov. 26–27 | Thanksgiving break |
| Wednesday, Dec. 9 | Early release day |
| Dec. 21, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 | Winter break |
| Monday, Jan. 18, 2027 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school) |
| Thursday, Jan. 21 | End of second quarter (42 days) |
| Friday, Jan. 22 | Teacher workday |
| Monday, Feb. 15 | Teacher workday |
| Wednesday, Feb. 24 | Early release day |
| Wednesday, Mar. 24 | End of third quarter (42 days) |
| Thursday, Mar. 25 | Teacher workday |
| Friday, Mar. 26 | Good Friday (no school) |
| Mar. 29 – Apr. 2, 2027 | Spring break |
| Wednesday, Apr. 28 | Early release day |
| Monday, May 31 | Memorial Day (no school) |
| Wednesday, Jun. 9, 2027 | Last day of school; end of fourth quarter (47 days) |
| Thursday–Friday, Jun. 10–11 | Teacher workdays |
Breaks
- Thanksgiving break: Thursday, Nov. 26 through Friday, Nov. 27, 2026 (Wednesday, Nov. 25 is a teacher workday, so students are out Wednesday through Friday)
- Winter break: Monday, Dec. 21, 2026 through Friday, Jan. 1, 2027
- Spring break: Monday, Mar. 29 through Friday, Apr. 2, 2027
Early Release Days
Four early release days are scheduled for the year:
- Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026
- Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026
- Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2027
- Wednesday, Apr. 28, 2027
Grading Periods
| Quarter | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 | 46 days |
| Q2 | Thursday, Jan. 21, 2027 | 42 days |
| Q3 | Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2027 | 42 days |
| Q4 | Wednesday, Jun. 9, 2027 | 47 days |
Makeup Days
If schools close for weather or other emergencies, makeup days are used in this order:
- Monday, Jan. 18, 2027
- Monday, Feb. 15, 2027
- Thursday, Mar. 25, 2027
- Thursday, Jun. 10, 2027
- Friday, Jun. 11, 2027
The superintendent may waive up to four makeup days. Under state law (S.L. 2022-59/SB 671), CMS may also use remote instruction for emergency closures such as inclement weather.
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Source: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 2026-2027 Traditional Calendar, approved by the Board of Education on April 8, 2025. Retrieved from cmsk12.org on August 25, 2026. This page reflects the district's traditional calendar; individual schools on modified calendars may differ. Check cmsk12.org for closure updates.