Florida School Calendar: 2026–2027 Dates

What Are the Statutory Instructional Day and Net Hour Mandates Under Florida Statute § 1011.60(2) for the Florida School Calendar?

Florida Statute § 1011.60(2) quantifies full-time public instruction at a minimum of 180 actual teaching days or the hourly equivalent of 900 net instructional hours for Grades 4–12 and 720 net hours for Kindergarten–Grade 3.

If a Florida public school district schedules 315 daily instructional minutes across 180 student contact days, then the resulting 945.0 annual net hours establish a +45.0-hour severe weather buffer (equivalent to 8.57 full school days) before the school board converts designated teacher planning days into hurricane make-up sessions under Rule 6A-1.09981, F.A.C. Across the Palm Beach school calendar 25-26 (SDPBC), Orange County (OCPS calendar 25-26), Hillsborough (HCPS calendar 2026 2027), Duval (DCPS calendar 26-27), Pinellas (PCSB calendar), Brevard Public Schools calendar, Osceola District Schools calendar, Collier (CCPS school calendar 25-26), and Okaloosa schools calendar, superintendents benchmark bell schedules against this exact statutory threshold.

Side-by-Side Comparison of Start Dates, Thanksgiving Recess, Winter Break, Spring Break & Last Day Across Florida Districts

Florida county school boards align 9-week grading quarters so First Semester exams conclude before the two-week December Winter Recess while adhering to the Florida Statute § 1001.42(4)(f) August 10 start boundary.

If an academic year calendar opens between August 10 and August 14, then Quarter 1 concludes after 42 to 45 student days in mid-October, Quarter 2 finishes prior to December 20, and final student dismissal occurs between May 26 and June 4. Districts evaluating year-round school pilot modifications under Fla. Stat. § 1003.021 or operating traditional year-long schools redistribute summer recess into balanced intersession weeks while preserving the 900-hour net floor.

Standard 300-Minute Baseline vs. +45-Hour Hurricane-Buffered Schedule

Drag the interactive comparison handle to inspect how adding +15 daily bell minutes (315 min/day vs. 300 min/day) across 180 teaching days banks +45.0 net instructional hours, protecting Thanksgiving Week and June dismissal from hurricane make-up extensions.

Florida Regional Spring Break Cohorts & District Preset Explorer

Select any Florida geographic region on the interactive vector map or regional tabs below to compare regional Spring Break cohorts, net instructional hour buffers, and load county parameters into the simulator with 1 click.

Florida 67-County FAST Test Prep, 1-on-1 Tutoring & Back-to-School Supply Bundles

Plan around FLDOE grading quarters and testing windows with verified Florida FAST ELA/Math tutoring, grade-band classroom supply bundles for the August Sales Tax Holiday, and flexible Spring Break family lodging.

Explore Specialized Florida County & Holiday Telemetry Pillars

Navigate directly to our dedicated South & Central Florida mega-district county engines and the statewide 67-county Spring Break cohort tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Florida School Calendar

Direct statutory resolutions addressing opening dates, net instructional hours, hurricane make-up days, and year-round school pilot rules.