Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Calendar 2026-27: Breaks and Two Spring Breaks

Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) students have no school Nov. 23-27, 2026, from Monday, Dec. 21, 2026 through Monday, Jan. 4, 2027, Mar. 15-19, 2027 and on Fri., Mar. 26 and Mon., Mar. 29, 2027, by the district’s 2026-27 Student Calendar. The last day for students is Thursday, May 20, 2027. Both calendar PDFs carry the footer “This calendar is pending approval by the Tennessee Department of Education,” and neither is dated; we found no later version, board vote or state approval.

The next day off is Veterans Day, Wed., Nov. 11. Aug. 3 (first day), Sept. 7 and Oct. 12-19 have passed.

When are the MSCS breaks in 2026-27?

Weekdays off are our count from the district’s dates.

Break	No school	Weekdays off	Students return
Fall break (past)	Mon., Oct. 12 to Mon., Oct. 19, 2026	6	Tue., Oct. 20
Thanksgiving break	Mon., Nov. 23 to Fri., Nov. 27, 2026	5	Mon., Nov. 30
Winter break	Mon., Dec. 21, 2026 to Mon., Jan. 4, 2027	11	Tue., Jan. 5, 2027
Spring break	Mon., Mar. 15 to Fri., Mar. 19, 2027	5	Mon., Mar. 22
Spring Break II	Fri., Mar. 26 and Mon., Mar. 29, 2027	2	Tue., Mar. 30

The district’s calendar marks the return from winter break (“Students Return” on Jan. 5, 2027) and the start of Q4 on Mar. 22. The other return days are our reading of the calendar, which marks no closure on those dates. Plan the Thanksgiving week on the November 2026 calendar, and compare other districts in our winter break 2026 roundup.

Why does MSCS have two spring breaks?

The student calendar lists a second break, “Spring Break II,” on Fri., Mar. 26 and Mon., Mar. 29, 2027. Easter Sunday 2027 is March 28, and Mar. 26 falls on Good Friday. With the weekend, students are out four days in a row, Fri., Mar. 26 to Mon., Mar. 29, and return Tue., Mar. 30. The district does not say why it set the days; the link to Easter is our computation.

The teacher calendar treats the two days differently. Mar. 26 is “Spring Break II (Teachers Out),” while Mar. 29 is a Teacher Stockpile Professional Development (PD) day. The first spring break, Mar. 15-19, ends the week before Q4 begins on Mon., Mar. 22. For other districts’ spring weeks, see our spring break 2027 roundup.

Which MSCS days are off for students?

Date	Weekday	What the district lists
Aug. 3, 2026	Monday	First Day for Students, Beginning of Q1
Sept. 7, 2026	Monday	Labor Day (students out)
Oct. 12-19, 2026	Monday-Monday	Fall Break (Students Out)
Nov. 11, 2026	Wednesday	Veterans Day (students out)
Nov. 23-27, 2026	Monday-Friday	Thanksgiving Break (Students Out)
Dec. 21-31, 2026 and Jan. 1-4, 2027	Monday-Monday	Winter Break (Students Out)
Jan. 18, 2027	Monday	Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 15, 2027	Monday	Presidents Day (students out)
Mar. 15-19, 2027	Monday-Friday	Spring Break
Mar. 26 and 29, 2027	Friday, Monday	Spring Break II (Students Out)
May 20, 2027	Thursday	Last Day for Students, End of Q4/S2

The calendar prints no early dismissal days and no weather make-up days, so it gives no guidance on how a snow or storm closure would be made up.

When are MSCS parent-teacher conferences?

The calendar lists conferences from 4 to 7 p.m. by school level. They are not student days off.

Level	Fall 2026	Winter 2027
High school	Thu., Sept. 10	Thu., Jan. 21
Middle school	Tue., Sept. 15	Tue., Jan. 26
Elementary school	Thu., Sept. 17	Thu., Jan. 28

What do teachers do on MSCS break days?

The teacher calendar marks Nov. 23-25 as Stockpile PD days, inside the week students are out for Thanksgiving. It also lists teacher in-service days inside two student breaks: Oct. 19 and Feb. 15. Check the teacher calendar for your school’s rules before planning around these days.

When does the MSCS school year start and end?

Students started Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, “First Day for Students | Beginning of Q1.” Q3 and the second semester begin Tue., Jan. 5, 2027, after winter break, and Q4 begins Mon., Mar. 22. The last day is Thursday, May 20, 2027, “End of Q4/S2.” Because the district says the calendar still awaits Tennessee Department of Education approval, confirm dates with your school before booking travel. The free printable puts these dates on one page, and our printable school-year calendar page has more layouts. Compare another large district in our Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) 2026-27 calendar story.