Lawrence Public Schools Calendar 2026-2027
The Lawrence Public Schools Calendar for 2026-2027 runs August 13 to May 26. Every break, stray day off and early release is below, one tap from your phone.
- First / last day
- Break
- No school
- Early release
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar 2026-27 Key Dates
The Lawrence Public Schools school year runs about 41 weeks, from August 13 to May 26. These are the dates that decide flights, camp deposits and time off work, so they come first.
| Event | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|
| First day of school | Thursday, August 13, 2026 | |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 23–27 | 5 weekdays |
| Winter Break | December 18, 2026 – January 4, 2027 | 12 weekdays |
| Spring Break | March 12–19 | 6 weekdays |
| Last day of school | Wednesday, May 26, 2027 |
The School Year by the Numbers
Counted straight from the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar dates: about 169 weekdays of school, 36 weekdays off and 6 early release or conference days between the first and last day.
| Measure | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Weeks from first to last day | 41 |
| Weekdays of school (approx.) | 169 |
| Weekdays off for students | 36 |
| Early release / conference days | 6 |
| Mondays and Fridays off outside breaks | 10 |
| Short weeks | 13 |
What Stands Out on the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar
Compared with the other Kansas districts on this site, using the same official calendars:
- School is in session on Election Day 2026 (November 3), while 1 of the 11 Kansas districts we cover closes.
- School is in session on Veterans Day 2026 (November 11), while 1 of the 11 Kansas districts we cover closes.
- Thanksgiving break 2026: the full week; 10 of the 11 Kansas districts we cover take the full week.
- 169 days in the school year by our count of the calendar; Kansas districts we cover range from 161 to 173.
- 6 early release days; the Kansas districts we cover range from 0 to 12.
First Day of School 2026
The first day of school on the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar is Thursday, August 13, 2026. It is the date the last summer trip and the last camp week have to end by, and nonrefundable fares booked around a guessed date are the ones that hurt.
The district staggers the start by grade: K-12 First Day of School for Students on Thu, Aug 13; Preschool & Early Childhood First Day on Tue, Aug 18. Check which group your child is in before you book the first week.
Because classes begin on a Thursday, the opening week is only 2 days long. The first full week of school starts Monday, August 17.
Breaks on the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring
Lawrence Public Schools builds 3 multi-day breaks into 2026-27. Each one comes with its full travel window, weekends included, so a five-weekday break shows up as the nine days you actually get.
Thanksgiving Break 2026: November 23–27
The Lawrence Public Schools Calendar gives 5 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, November 30. The travel window with weekends added runs Sat, Nov 21 – Sun, Nov 29, 9 days.
Winter Break 2026: December 18, 2026 – January 4, 2027
The Lawrence Public Schools Calendar gives 12 weekdays with no school; classes resume Tuesday, January 5. The travel window with weekends added runs Fri, Dec 18 – Mon, Jan 4, 18 days.
Spring Break 2027: March 12–19
The Lawrence Public Schools Calendar gives 6 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, March 22. The travel window with weekends added runs Fri, Mar 12 – Sun, Mar 21, 10 days.
Single Days Off and Short Weeks on the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar
Outside the long breaks, students here have 13 single days off during the school year, and 13 weeks are shortened, either by one of those days or by part of a longer break. In total that is 36 weekdays with no school between August 13 and May 26.
4 Mondays and 6 Fridays are off outside the breaks, which turns them into long weekends. The rest land mid-week, which is when parents most often need a sitter or a day of leave.
- EC-HS No School - District Closed: Mon, Sep 7, Mon, Jan 18
- EC-HS No School: Fri, Sep 25, Fri, Oct 9, Fri, Oct 16, Fri, Feb 12, Fri, Feb 19, Mon, Apr 5, Fri, Apr 30
- EC-HS No School- District Closed: Mon, Oct 12
- EC-MS No School-PT Conferences: Thu, Oct 15
- EC-5 No School-PT Conferences: Thu, Feb 18
- Current Kindergartners No School: Wed, Apr 21
| Weekday | Days off (outside long breaks) |
|---|---|
| Monday | 4 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Wednesday | 1 |
| Thursday | 2 |
| Friday | 6 |
Long Weekends to Plan Around
Not every getaway needs a full break. Counting weekends, the year has 9 stretches of three or more days off outside the long breaks.
- Sat, Sep 5 – Mon, Sep 7 (3 days)
- Fri, Sep 25 – Sun, Sep 27 (3 days)
- Fri, Oct 9 – Mon, Oct 12 (4 days)
- Thu, Oct 15 – Sun, Oct 18 (4 days)
- Sat, Jan 16 – Mon, Jan 18 (3 days)
- Fri, Feb 12 – Sun, Feb 14 (3 days)
- Thu, Feb 18 – Sun, Feb 21 (4 days)
- Sat, Apr 3 – Mon, Apr 5 (3 days)
- Fri, Apr 30 – Sun, May 2 (3 days)
Early Release Days on the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar
Lawrence Public Schools has 6 early release or conference days on the 2026-27 calendar, and 4 of them fall on a Wednesday. Pickup moves earlier on these days, so after-school care has to start sooner.
- EC-HS PT Conferences Night: Wed, Oct 14, Wed, Feb 17
- HS Finals Early Release: Wed, Dec 16, Thu, Dec 17, Tue, May 25, Wed, May 26
Last Day of School 2027 on the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar
The last day of school at Lawrence Public Schools is Wednesday, May 26, 2027.
Since the year wraps up on a Wednesday, the final week has 3 school days, and summer starts that same week.
The first semester ends Thursday, December 17, 2026, which splits the year into two halves for grading.
Printable Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Month by Month
The grids show the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar one month at a time. Below them, a count of weekdays off and early releases per month shows which months ask the most of working parents.
December is the busiest month, with 10 weekdays off and 2 early releases, so it is the one to line up cover for first.
How to read the grids: green marks the first and last day, blue squares are multi-day breaks, red squares are single days with no school, and amber squares are early release or conference days. Plain squares are regular school days; faded ones fall outside the school year.
- End of 1st Quarter: Thu, Oct 8
- End of 2nd Quarter: Thu, Dec 17
- End of 3rd Quarter: Thu, Mar 11
- Seniors Last Day: Thu, May 20
- LVS Graduation: Sat, May 22
- LHS Graduation: Tue, May 25
- End of 4th Quarter: Wed, May 26
- FSHS Graduation: Wed, May 26
| Month | Weekdays off | Early releases |
|---|---|---|
| July | 0 | 0 |
| August | 0 | 0 |
| September | 2 | 0 |
| October | 4 | 1 |
| November | 5 | 0 |
| December | 10 | 2 |
| January | 3 | 0 |
| February | 3 | 1 |
| March | 6 | 0 |
| April | 3 | 0 |
| May | 0 | 2 |
| June | 0 | 0 |
How the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar Compares in Kansas
Lawrence Public Schools opens after 3 other districts in Kansas and on the same day as 3. The earliest start in the state is Derby Public Schools on August 11; the latest is Maize USD 266 on August 18.
9 other Kansas districts on this site finish earlier, starting with Derby Public Schools on May 19.
Winter break here is 12 weekdays, longer than the 11-weekday break most Kansas districts give.
5 other districts share the same spring break week, including Blue Valley Schools, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, Andover Public Schools (USD 385). That matters if cousins or split households cross district lines.
Across the school year it gives 36 weekdays off; the typical Kansas district here gives 34. Its 6 early release or conference days match the state norm.
Where the Lawrence Public Schools Calendar Dates Come From
We read the calendar Lawrence Public Schools posted on usd497.org and copied each date as printed. The version used here was approved by the school board on February 9, 2026.
The link below opens the district’s own file, so any date here can be confirmed in one click. Add the calendar file to your phone once and the whole Lawrence Public Schools year sits next to your work meetings instead of in a file you have to dig up again.
Updated · official calendar file · usd497.org
More Kansas School Calendars
Comparing districts nearby? See every district side by side on the Kansas School Calendars 2026-2027 page. Planning a trip? Compare spring break 2027 dates across every district we track, or see how long Thanksgiving break is in each state.
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar FAQ
When does Lawrence Public Schools start in 2026?
- Thursday, August 13, 2026. Some grades start later; see the first-day section above.
When is the last day of school for Lawrence Public Schools in 2027?
- The last day of school is Wednesday, May 26, 2027.
When is Lawrence Public Schools spring break 2027?
- March 12–19, 6 weekdays off.
Does Lawrence Public Schools get the whole week of Thanksgiving off?
- Yes: Thanksgiving break runs November 23–27, 5 weekdays.
How long is Lawrence Public Schools winter break?
- December 18, 2026 – January 4, 2027: 12 weekdays off. Counting the weekends around it, that is 18 days in a row without school, Fri, Dec 18 – Mon, Jan 4.
When are Lawrence Public Schools early release days?
- There are 6 early release or conference days, most often on a Wednesday. Each date is in the early release section above, so after-school pickup can be arranged before the week arrives.
How many days off does Lawrence Public Schools have outside the breaks?
- 13 single days spread across the year, with 13 shortened weeks; each one is listed above by date.
Will snow days extend the Lawrence Public Schools school year?
- The published calendar does not list make-up days, so any added days would come from a later district announcement.