- School starts Monday, Aug. 3, 2026 and ends Thursday, May 20, 2027.
- Thanksgiving break: Nov. 23 to 27. Students are out Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 29, back Monday, Nov. 30.
- Winter break: Dec. 21 to Jan. 4. Students are out Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4, back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
- Spring break: March 15 to 19. Students are out Saturday, March 13 to Sunday, March 21, back Monday, March 22.
- The 2026-27 student calendar prints no early release or half days.
The MSCS 2026-27 calendar
This is the district's own calendar, as MSCS publishes it. Tap it to open the full-size image.
Add the MSCS calendar to your phone
Pick a file. Each one is an all-day event per day off, and a break is one event across all its days.
On an iPhone
Tap a file above, then tap Add All. The dates go into the calendar you choose.
In Google Calendar
On a computer, open Google Calendar, then Settings, then Import & export. Choose the file and the calendar to add it to. The dates show up on your Android phone too.
In Outlook
Open the downloaded file, or in Outlook on the web go to Add calendar, then Upload from file.
These files are a copy of the calendar today. If the district changes a date, download the file again.
MSCS vacations and holidays, 2026-27
Every day with no school for students, from the first day to the last: nine entries and 33 weekdays in all.
| Day off | Dates | Days of the week | School days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day Holiday | Sept. 7 | Mon | 1 |
| Fall break Break | Oct. 12 to 19 | Mon to Mon | 6 |
| Veterans Day Holiday | Nov. 11 | Wed | 1 |
| Thanksgiving break Break | Nov. 23 to 27 | Mon to Fri | 5 |
| Winter break Break | Dec. 21 to Jan. 4 | Mon to Mon | 11 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday | Jan. 18 | Mon | 1 |
| Presidents Day Holiday | Feb. 15 | Mon | 1 |
| Spring break Break | March 15 to 19 | Mon to Fri | 5 |
| Spring break II Break | March 26 to 29 | Fri to Mon | 2 |
MSCS early release days
The 2026-27 student calendar prints no early release or half days. Every school day on it is a full day.
Schools can still send their own early dismissal notices, so watch for those.
Calendar notes: what to plan around
Long weekends and breaks
Every stretch of three or more days with no school, counting weekends.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Sept. 5 to Monday, Sept. 7. Labor Day. Back Tuesday, Sept. 8.
- 10 days off in a row: Saturday, Oct. 10 to Monday, Oct. 19. Fall break. Back Tuesday, Oct. 20.
- 9 days off in a row: Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 29. Thanksgiving break. Back Monday, Nov. 30.
- 17 days off in a row: Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4. Winter break. Back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Jan. 16 to Monday, Jan. 18. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Back Tuesday, Jan. 19.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Feb. 13 to Monday, Feb. 15. Presidents Day. Back Tuesday, Feb. 16.
- 9 days off in a row: Saturday, March 13 to Sunday, March 21. Spring break. Back Monday, March 22.
- 4-day weekend: Friday, March 26 to Monday, March 29. Spring break II. Back Tuesday, March 30.
Weeks with fewer than five school days
Nine weeks have fewer than five school days, and five weeks have none at all.
| Week of | School days | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 7 | 4 | Labor Day |
| Oct. 12 | 0 | Fall break |
| Oct. 19 | 4 | Fall break |
| Nov. 9 | 4 | Veterans Day |
| Nov. 23 | 0 | Thanksgiving break |
| Dec. 21 | 0 | Winter break |
| Dec. 28 | 0 | Winter break |
| Jan. 4 | 4 | Winter break |
| Jan. 18 | 4 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
| Feb. 15 | 4 | Presidents Day |
| March 15 | 0 | Spring break |
| March 22 | 4 | Spring break II |
| March 29 | 4 | Spring break II |
| May 17 | 4 | After the last day |
Makeup days
The student calendar names no makeup days. If school closes for weather, the district announces how the day is made up.
Also worth knowing
- After the last day, the calendar still shows teacher admin day (May 21). Students are already out.
First and last day of school
The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. The last day is Thursday, May 20, 2027.
The district prints 176 instructional days across the quarters. Our count of the calendar matches.
Grading periods
MSCS grades in nine-week quarters, two to a semester. The day counts and report card dates come from the district's Attendance and Report Card Periods sheet. Report cards are available after 3 p.m. in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
| Period | Dates | School days | Report card |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | Aug. 3 to Oct. 9 | 49 | Wednesday, Oct. 28 |
| 2nd quarter | Oct. 20 to Dec. 18 | 38 | Wednesday, Jan. 13 |
| 3rd quarter | Jan. 5 to March 12 | 47 | Wednesday, March 31 |
| 4th quarter | March 22 to May 20 | 42 | Thursday, May 27 |
What the district notes
- Parent-teacher conferences are evening events, 4 to 7 p.m., on regular school days. Each school level has its own night: high school first, then middle, then elementary.
- The calendar prints 87 school days in the first semester and 89 in the second.
- The calendar is printed as pending approval by the Tennessee Department of Education.
- State and district tests (TCAP, ACT, i-Ready and others) have their own windows in the MSCS 2026-27 Assessment Calendar on the district's calendar page.
- This is the district calendar. Schools that do not follow it, such as charter schools, may set other dates.
Common questions
When does MSCS start in 2026?
The first day of school for Memphis-Shelby County Schools is Monday, Aug. 3, 2026.
When is the last day of school for MSCS in 2027?
The last day for students is Thursday, May 20, 2027.
When is winter break for MSCS?
Winter break runs Monday, Dec. 21 to Monday, Jan. 4. Counting weekends, students are out Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4 and go back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
When is spring break for MSCS?
Spring break runs Monday, March 15 to Friday, March 19. Counting weekends, students are out Saturday, March 13 to Sunday, March 21 and go back Monday, March 22.
When is Thanksgiving break for MSCS?
Thanksgiving break runs Monday, Nov. 23 to Friday, Nov. 27. Counting weekends, students are out Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 29 and go back Monday, Nov. 30.
Does MSCS have early release days in 2026-27?
The 2026-27 student calendar prints no early release or half days. Every school day on it is a full day.
How do I put the MSCS calendar on my phone?
Download one of the .ics files on this page. On an iPhone, open it and tap Add All. On Android or a computer, import it into Google Calendar or Outlook.
How we checked these dates
We read every date off the district's own calendar twice: once from the PDF's text and once from the image, cell by cell against its legend. Then we checked each one against the district's Spanish edition of the same calendar, the MSCS 2026-27 Attendance and Report Card Periods, the MSCS 2026-27 teacher calendar and the MSCS Calendars page.
Every weekday on this page matches its date. The district's printed day counts match our own count of its calendar. If the district changes its calendar, its page is the final word.
Where each date is on the district's calendar
- First day, Aug. 3: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, August 2026 grid, 3 in orange (legend: 1st Day of School Students); list "3 First Day for Students | Beginning of Q1". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "3 Primer día de clases para las/los estudiantes | Inicio del trimestre 1"; MSCS 2026-2027 Attendance and Report Card Periods, For Schools Following the District Calendar (PDF), Q1 begins "Monday, August 3".
- Last day, May 20: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, May 2027 grid, 20 in blue with the closing exam bracket (legend: End of Quarter); list "20 Last Day for Students | End of Q4/S2". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "20 Último día de clases para las/los estudiantes | Fin del trimestre 4/Semestre 2"; MSCS 2026-2027 Attendance and Report Card Periods, For Schools Following the District Calendar (PDF), Q4 report card period ends "Thursday, May 20".
- Labor Day, Sept. 7: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, September 2026 grid, 7 in black (legend: Students Out (Full Day)); list "7 Labor Day (Students Out)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "7 Día del Trabajo (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)".
- Fall break, Oct. 12 to 19: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, October 2026 grid, 12 to 16 and 19 in black; list "12-19 Fall Break (Students Out)" and "20 Beginning of Q2 (Students Return)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "12-19 Descanso de otoño (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)"; MSCS 2026-27 Teacher Calendar (PDF), "12-16 Fall Break (Students & Teachers)", "19 DLD Teacher Inservice".
- Veterans Day, Nov. 11: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, November 2026 grid, 11 in black; list "11 Veterans Day (Students Out)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "11 Día de Veteranos (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)".
- Thanksgiving break, Nov. 23 to 27: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, November 2026 grid, 23 to 27 in black; list "23-27 Thanksgiving Break (Students Out)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "23-27 Descanso de Acción de Gracias (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)".
- Winter break, Dec. 21 to Jan. 4: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, December 2026 grid, 21 to 25 and 28 to 31 in black; January 2027 grid, 1 and 4 in black; lists "21-31 Winter Break (Students Out)" and "1-4 Winter Break (Students Out)", "5 Students Return". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "21-31 Vacaciones de invierno" and "1-4 Vacaciones de invierno (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)"; MSCS 2026-27 Teacher Calendar (PDF), "4 Teacher Admin" (January).
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, January 2027 grid, 18 in black; list "18 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Students Out)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "18 Día de Martin Luther King Jr. (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)".
- Presidents Day, Feb. 15: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, February 2027 grid, 15 in black; list "15 Presidents Day (Students Out)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "15 Día de Presidentes (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)".
- Spring break, March 15 to 19: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, March 2027 grid, 15 to 19 in black; list "15-19 Spring Break (Students Out)" and "22 Students Return | Beginning of Q4". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "15-19 Descanso de primavera (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)".
- Spring break II, March 26 to 29: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, March 2027 grid, Friday 26 and Monday 29 in black; list "26 & 29 Spring Break II (Students Out)". Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), "26 & 29 Descanso de primavera II (no hay clases para las/los estudiantes)"; MSCS 2026-27 Teacher Calendar (PDF), "26 Spring Break II (Teachers Out)", "29 Stockpile PD FLEX".
- Teacher admin day, May 21: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, May 2027 grid, 21 in black, the day after the last day (legend: Students Out (Full Day)). Also: MSCS Calendario escolar 2026-2027, Spanish (PDF), May 2027 grid, 21 shaded as no classes (legend: No hay clases para las/los estudiantes); MSCS 2026-27 Teacher Calendar (PDF), "21 Teacher Admin (Teachers In)".
- 1st quarter: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, October 2026 grid, 9 in blue (legend: End of Quarter); list "9 End of Q1".
- 2nd quarter: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, October 2026 grid, 20 in green (legend: Start of Quarter); December 2026 grid, 18 in blue; list "18 End of Q2/S1".
- 3rd quarter: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, January 2027 grid, 5 in green; March 2027 grid, 12 in blue; list "5 Students Return | Beginning of Q3/S2", "12 End of Q3".
- 4th quarter: MSCS 2026-27 Student Calendar (PDF), page 1, March 2027 grid, 22 in green; May 2027 grid, 20 in blue; list "22 Students Return | Beginning of Q4", "20 Last Day for Students | End of Q4/S2".