Build a printable academic year calendar from August to June: set the first and last day, add breaks and no-school days, color the semesters, trimesters or quarters and see the school day count for every month and term.
Last updated:
Term start dates and colors
Breaks, holidays and special days
The list starts with typical US public school holidays and breaks. Edit the names and dates to match your district's calendar. Days off, holidays, breaks and teacher workdays are not counted as school days; early release days and events are.
Day counts
Dates to remember
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How to use the School Year Calendar
Enter a title and the first and last day of school. By default the last day is set to the 180th school day.
Choose the terms (semesters, trimesters or quarters) and a color for each. Press Split terms evenly or type your own term start dates.
Edit the breaks and special days: change names and dates, pick a type, remove rows or add your own days off, early release days and events.
Press Create calendar to refresh the month grid and check the school day counts per month and term.
Print the calendar (landscape works best) or download it as CSV or .ics to share with families and staff.
Planning a school year calendar
A school year calendar balances three things: the number of instructional days your state requires, the breaks families and staff expect, and terms of roughly equal length for grading. A practical order of work is:
Fix the anchors: the first day of school (usually mid to late August or right after Labor Day in the US) and the required number of days, most often 180.
Add the fixed holidays that fall on weekdays, such as Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day and Memorial Day.
Place the long breaks: Thanksgiving week or the Wednesday to Friday, about two weeks around Christmas and New Year, and a spring break week in March or April.
Add teacher workdays and conference days, which close school for students without being holidays.
Set the last day so the count reaches your target, keeping a few spare days in case of snow or emergency closures.
Typical US school calendar dates
Day off
Rule
Usual length
Labor Day
First Monday in September
1 day
Indigenous Peoples' / Columbus Day
Second Monday in October (closed in some districts)
0–1 day
Veterans Day
November 11 (closed in some districts)
0–1 day
Thanksgiving break
Fourth Thursday in November, plus surrounding days
2–5 days
Winter break
Around December 24 to January 1
8–12 weekdays
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Third Monday in January
1 day
Presidents' Day
Third Monday in February
1–5 days
Spring break
One week in March or April, often near Easter
5 days
Memorial Day
Last Monday in May
1 day
Juneteenth
June 19 (if school is still in session)
1 day
Tips
Quarters usually hold 43 to 47 days each and semesters about 90; use Split terms evenly as a starting point, then align term ends with grading deadlines.
Avoid ending a term on the day before a long break; teachers need time to finish grades.
Build in two to five make-up days for weather closures, either at the end of the year or as flexible teacher workdays.
Share the .ics file with families so school breaks show up in their own calendars automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are in a school year?
Most US states require between 170 and 180 instructional days, and 180 is the most common requirement. Some states count instructional hours instead of days. Check your state or district rules; this tool counts every weekday between the first and last day that is not a break, holiday, day off or teacher workday.
Are the holiday dates correct for my school?
The starting list is a typical US public school pattern for the selected year (Labor Day, Thanksgiving break, winter break, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, a spring break week, Memorial Day and Juneteenth). Every district sets its own calendar, so edit, remove or add entries to match your official district calendar.
Do early release days count as school days?
Yes. In this tool early release days and events are counted as school days and marked on the calendar, while days off, holidays, breaks and teacher workdays (no students) are not counted. Many states do count early release days as instructional days, but some count hours, so check your local rules.
How are the terms split evenly?
Split terms evenly divides the list of actual school days into equal parts, so each semester, trimester or quarter gets about the same number of instructional days. The start of each term is the first school day of its share. You can then adjust any term start date by hand.
How do I print the calendar on one page?
Press Print calendar. Only the calendar, legend and counts are printed, and the page is set to landscape. In the print dialog choose landscape and Fit to page or a scale of about 80 to 90 percent if your printer adds large margins; turn on background graphics so the colors print.
Can I add the calendar to Google Calendar or Outlook?
Yes. Download the .ics file and import it into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar. It contains the first and last day, the start of each term and every break, holiday and event as all-day events.
Is my calendar saved?
Your settings and events are saved in your browser's local storage on this device, so the calendar is still there when you come back. Nothing is uploaded to a server. Use Reset to sample US dates to start over.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.