Spokane Public Schools exploring alternative school calendars

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Spokane Public Schools is exploring a new calendar for the '26-27 school year.

Right now, SPS follows a "traditional" calendar through which students have 11 weeks of summer break, with the next break being Thanksgiving. They also get ten days of winter break and five days of spring break.

The district is considering switching to a different calendar model to increase student attendance.

One potential idea is a "year-round" calendar that would break the school year into four equal sections, with 45 days of learning, followed by a three week break. Summer break would be five weeks.

SPS is also considering a "balanced" calendar that would give students the same number of days in class and the same number of instructional hours as traditional calendars, but with shorter, more frequent breaks instead of one long summer break.

The district is still exploring how the different models would affect students, staff and families.

No date has been set for when a decision will be made.

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