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 |
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: The School Year by the Numbers
Counted straight from the published calendar dates: about 170 weekdays of school, 35 weekdays off and 8 early release or conference days between the first and last day.
We worked every figure out from the district’s own dates, so one table shows how much of the year needs cover beyond the school day.
| Measure | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Weeks from first to last day | 41 |
| Weekdays of school (approx.) | 170 |
| Weekdays off for students | 35 |
| Early release / conference days | 8 |
| Long weekends outside breaks | 9 |
| Short weeks | 12 |
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: First Day of School 2026
The first day of school at Lawrence Public Schools 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; First Day of 2nd Semester on Tue, Jan 5. 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.
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring Break
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: November 23–27 (5 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, November 30). Travel window Sat, Nov 21 – Sun, Nov 29, 9 days.
- Winter Break: December 18, 2026 – January 4, 2027 (12 weekdays with no school; classes resume Tuesday, January 5). Travel window Fri, Dec 18 – Mon, Jan 4, 18 days.
- Spring Break: March 12–19 (6 weekdays with no school; classes resume Monday, March 22). Travel window Fri, Mar 12 – Sun, Mar 21, 10 days.
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Days Off and Short Weeks
Outside the long breaks, students here have 12 single days off during the school year, and 12 weeks are shortened by at least one day off. In total that is 35 weekdays with no school between August 13 and May 26.
A week-long break gets planned months out; a lone day off mid-week is the one that ends in a scramble for a sitter. Here every Lawrence Public Schools day off sits in one list by date, ready to book off or cover weeks ahead.
4 Mondays and 5 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 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 | 5 |
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Long Weekends
Not every getaway needs a full break. Counting weekends, the year has 8 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)
- Thu, Feb 18 – Sun, Feb 21 (4 days)
- Sat, Apr 3 – Mon, Apr 5 (3 days)
- Fri, Apr 30 – Sun, May 2 (3 days)
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Early Release Days
Lawrence Public Schools has 8 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 PT Conferences Night: Thu, Oct 15
- HS Finals Early Release: Wed, Dec 16, Thu, Dec 17, Tue, May 25, Wed, May 26
- MS-HS PT Conferences Night: Thu, Feb 18
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar: Last Day of School 2027
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.
Grading periods as the calendar marks them: Grading period 1: August 13 – October 8 (about 8 weeks); Grading period 2: October 13 – December 17 (about 9 weeks); Grading period 3: January 5 – March 11 (about 9 weeks); Grading period 4: March 22 – May 20 (about 8 weeks); Grading period 5: May 21 – May 26 (about 1 week). Report cards and conference weeks usually follow each end date.
Lawrence Public Schools Calendar Month by Month
The grids show the school year 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.
- 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 | 2 |
| November | 5 | 0 |
| December | 10 | 2 |
| January | 3 | 0 |
| February | 2 | 2 |
| 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 districts in the state 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.
3 other districts share the same spring break week, including Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, Derby Public Schools, Spring Hill Schools (USD 230). That matters if cousins or split households cross district lines.
Across the school year it gives 35 weekdays off; the typical Kansas district here gives 29. Its 8 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. Every date was also checked against its weekday, which is how a misread month gets caught before it reaches this page.
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.
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 8 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?
- 12 single days spread across the year, with 12 shortened weeks. Parents on Reddit call these the hardest days to cover, so they are 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.