At its December 18, 2024, meeting, the Board of Education was presented with two draft calendars recommended by the AACPS Calendar Committee and directed that those calendars be posted so that the public could provide input. To view the presentation of the Calendar Committee's recommendation to the Board, click here and navigate to the 1:38:40 mark.

A short survey and the opportunity to provide additional input through noon on Friday, January 3, 2025, can be found here.

Calendar Option A as recommended by the Committee can be found here.

Calendar Option B as recommended by the Committee can be found here.

Both calendars contain the following common elements:

• The first day of classes is August 25, 2025.

• Schools and offices are closed for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Eid al-Fitr.

• The traditional Thanksgiving, Christmas/Winter and Easter/Spring breaks.

• 12 early dismissal days (4 Project Unity Days and 8 at the end of marking periods).

• 3 inclement weather days (as required by State law).

• Closings of high schools on the dates of their graduations.

• One-day closing of elementary and middle schools for students (professional learning for employees).

Difference between Calendar Option A and Calendar Option B

Calendar Option A calls for schools to be open on December 22 and 23, 2025, with the last day for students scheduled to be June 15, 2026.

Calendar Option B calls for schools to be closed on December 22, and 23, 2025, with the last day for students scheduled to be June 17, 2026.

Calendar Committee Discussion of options

The Calendar Committee discussed the benefits and drawbacks of both options at length, with the following factors being part of those discussions:

• Discussion against closing on December 22 and 23, 2025:

  • Concerns about removing instructional days prior to MCAP, AP and IB exams and replacing with days after those exams.

  • Closing would shorten a marking period with limited time between Thanksgiving and Winter breaks.

  • With addition of SCLTs and other possible required testing, there is already too little instruction between Thanksgiving and Winter breaks.

  • Securing two full consecutive weeks of childcare may be difficult for same families.

  • There may be an adverse impact on families who depend on meals during those two school days before break.

  • Closing goes against past AACPS practice of opening schools when there are two or more days in a week before Christmas Eve or after New Year's Day.

  • Significant inclement weather could mean classes extend beyond the Juneteenth holiday (June 19, 2026).

  • Inclement weather could further shorten the number of days in a marking period.

• Discussion in favor of closing on December 22 and 23, 2025:

  • Positive impact on social-emotional wellness as a result of longer break

  • There is not a chance to

    fully unwind ina “broken week.”

  • This is traditionally a time when families from other countries go home to their native countries. Closoing would offer additional time would not impact attendance

  The Board is scheduled to adopt a 2025-26 school year calendar at its January 8, 2025, meeting.