Utilizing flexibility provided in a new law, the Board of Education has altered the current school year calendar by removing six early dismissal days and creating in their place three full school days for students followed by three non-student days in which teachers can complete grading and other staff can engage in professional learning.
Under the new calendar approved by the Board at its October 15, 2025, meeting, the following changes will occur at the end of the second, third and fourth marking periods:
· Thursday, January 15, 2026, will be a full school day for all students.
· Friday, January 16, 2026, will be a non-student day, with teachers completing grading and other staff engaging in professional learning.
· Thursday, March 26, 2026, will be a full school day for all students.
· Friday, March 27, 2026, will be a non-student day, with teachers completing grading and other staff engaging in professional learning.
· Tuesday, June 16, 2026, will be a full school day for all students and the final student day of the 2025-26 school year.
· Wednesday, June 17, 2026, will be a non-student day, with teachers completing grading and other staff engaging in professional learning.
The two early dismissal days at the end of the first marking period – set for Monday, October 27, 2025, and Tuesday, October 28, 2025 – are unaffected by the revised calendar and will remain early dismissal days. The three remaining Unity Day early dismissals – set for December 9, 2025; February 10, 2026; and March 17, 2026, will remain in place and students will be dismissed two hours early on those days.
The Board’s action came in the wake of legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2025 and signed into law by Governor Wes Moore that which provides Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) with flexibility in creating the school year calendar by eliminating early dismissal days as long as the calendar that meets the minimum number of seat hours at each level (1,080 at elementary and middle school and 1,170 at high school) even if the calendar does not meet the minimum number of school days (180) required by all other Maryland school jurisdictions. Prior to the legislation, AACPS had to meet both the seat hour and school day thresholds.
The new calendar will be posted at www.aacps.org/calendar no later than Friday, October 17, 2025.