When does school start in Illinois?
For 2026–27, Chicago Public Schools — the one Illinois district tracked here so far — starts school Monday, August 24, 2026. Illinois schools typically start mid-to-late August.
Districts, sorted by first day
| District | First day | Last day | Spring break |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public Schools | August 24, 2026 | June 11, 2027 | March 22–26, 2027 |
Questions parents ask
When does school start in Illinois in 2026?
Chicago Public Schools, the one Illinois district tracked here so far, starts school on August 24, 2026. Its page has the breaks and the last day.
Does Illinois have a law about when school can start?
Illinois has no state law setting an earliest date schools may open — under Section 10-19 of the Illinois School Code, each local school board writes its own calendar and picks its own opening and closing dates, so long as the term runs at least 185 days and gives students at least 176 days of actual attendance.