24 days Houston ISD families need a plan for
Houston ISD (TX) has 24 weekdays in the 2026-27 school year when school is closed or lets out early, not counting federal holidays. That is about the same as the median of 26 across the 30 largest US districts. School runs from August 10, 2026 to May 28, 2027.
Plan your year
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Every day off, in order (24)
Mon, Sep 21: Staff PD Day (no classes)
Fri, Oct 9: Staff PD Day (no classes)
Fri, Nov 6: Staff PD Day (no classes)
Mon, Nov 23: Recess (no classes)
Tue, Nov 24: Recess (no classes)
Wed, Nov 25: Recess (no classes)
Fri, Nov 27: Recess (no classes)
Mon, Dec 21: Recess (no classes)
Tue, Dec 22: Recess (no classes)
Wed, Dec 23: Recess (no classes)
Thu, Dec 24: Recess (no classes)
Mon, Dec 28: Recess (no classes)
Tue, Dec 29: Recess (no classes)
Wed, Dec 30: Recess (no classes)
Thu, Dec 31: Recess (no classes)
Mon, Jan 4: Staff PD Day (no classes)
Mon, Feb 15: Staff PD Day (no classes)
Mon, Mar 8: Recess (no classes)
Tue, Mar 9: Recess (no classes)
Wed, Mar 10: Recess (no classes)
Thu, Mar 11: Recess (no classes)
Fri, Mar 12: Recess (no classes)
Fri, Mar 26: Recess (no classes)
Fri, Apr 16: Staff PD Day (no classes)
Early release days
Houston ISD publishes no district-wide early-release days. Some schools may still have their own.
How we counted, and where this comes from
We read the official Houston ISD 2026-27 calendar on October 4, 2026: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1778869644/houstonisdorg/ridqkffwxvmqpcwmksmg/2026-2027YearlyCalendarRev4_6_26.pdf. A day counts when school is closed for all students on a weekday, or the whole district lets students out early. Holidays that almost every employer observes (Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Memorial Day) are never counted. Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Veterans Day and Presidents’ Day count as holidays only when the district closes school for that holiday by name, because many employers stay open. That left 5 holidays out of the count here. HISD holds school on Columbus Day (Oct 12) and Veterans Day (Nov 11) but has no classes on Presidents' Day (Feb 15, a staff PD day); spring break is early (Mar 8-12) and Friday Mar 26 is also off. Calendars change and some days vary by school, so check with your school before you book childcare.