Arizona Winter Break 2026
Last school day before the break and first day back for the 13 Arizona districts we track, earliest break first. Days off in a row count weekends and any teacher workday or holiday next to the break.
| District | Last day before break | Back to school | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler Unified School District | Thu, Dec 17, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 18 |
| Marana Unified School District | Thu, Dec 17, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 18 |
| Mesa Public Schools | Thu, Dec 17, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 18 |
| Peoria Unified School District | Thu, Dec 17, 2026 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | 17 |
| Tucson Unified School District | Thu, Dec 17, 2026 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | 17 |
| Gilbert Public Schools | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | 16 |
| Litchfield Elementary School District | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | 16 |
| Maricopa Unified School District | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 17 |
| Paradise Valley Unified School District | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | 16 |
| Tempe Elementary School District No. 3 | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 17 |
| Tolleson Union High School District | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 17 |
| Washington Elementary School District | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | 17 |
| Yuma Union High School District | Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Mon, Jan 11, 2027 | 23 |
Frequently asked questions
When does winter break 2026 start in Arizona?
For most of the 13 Arizona districts we track, the last day of school before the break is December 18, 2026 (8 of 13). The earliest is December 17, 2026 and the latest December 18, 2026.
When do Arizona students go back to school in January 2027?
Most return January 5, 2027 (7 of 13 districts). The first districts are back January 4, 2027 and the last January 11, 2027.
Which Arizona district has the longest winter break?
Yuma Union High School District: 23 days in a row without school (December 19, 2026 to January 10, 2027), weekends and adjacent days off included. The shortest is Gilbert Public Schools with 16 days.
Every date comes from the district’s own calendar and links to it on the district page. How we check the dates →