The Baldwin County school calendar 2026-2027 spans 180 instructional days between August 12, 2026, and May 27, 2027, matching Alabama’s statutory minimum.
The Baldwin County school calendar refers to the official academic schedule published by two distinct school systems that share the same county name: Baldwin County Public Schools in Bay Minette, Alabama, and the Baldwin County School District in Milledgeville, Georgia.
This guide covers the Alabama district in primary detail, since it accounts for the highest search volume tied to this term, and includes a dedicated comparison section for readers seeking the Georgia district instead.
Table of Contents
What Is the Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027?
The Baldwin County school calendar 2026-2027 is the board-approved academic schedule that governs instructional days, holidays, teacher workdays, and grading periods for Baldwin County Public Schools (BCPS), also referred to as the Baldwin County Board of Education (BCBE).
The district is headquartered in Bay Minette, Alabama, and operates under a superintendent and a seven-member Board of Education elected to six-year terms.
Baldwin County Public Schools consists of seven members serving six-year terms. As of July 16, 2026, Marty McRae holds the superintendent position, having been selected by the Board of Education after serving as interim superintendent.
The Baldwin County Board of Education has selected Marty McRae as the district’s next superintendent, ending his tenure as interim leader. He replaced Eddie Tyler, who retired effective June 30, 2026, after 11 years leading the district and 50 years in education overall.
After 50 years in education and 11 amazing years as superintendent, I will retire from Baldwin County Public Schools, effective June 30, 2026.
McRae’s background includes 36 years entirely within Baldwin County Public Schools, spanning roles as teacher, coach, technology coordinator, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent.
McRae brings 36 years of experience in public education — all within Baldwin County Public Schools. He has served as a teacher, coach, technology coordinator, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent.
The 2026-2027 calendar covers approximately 32,000 students enrolled across 45 schools. The district serves 32,000 students across 45 schools in Alabama.
This figure is broadly consistent with 2023 reporting from Ballotpedia, which recorded 31,517 students across 45 schools and a student-teacher ratio of 16.42. During the 2023 school year, 31,517 students attended one of the district’s 45 schools.
Baldwin County Public Schools (Alabama) vs. Baldwin County School District (Georgia)
Baldwin County Public Schools (Alabama) and the Baldwin County School District (Georgia) are separate legal entities with independent boards, superintendents, and academic calendars, despite sharing a county name. The table below summarizes the core differences.
| Attribute | Baldwin County Public Schools (Alabama) | Baldwin County School District (Georgia) |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Bay Minette, Alabama | Milledgeville, Georgia |
| Superintendent | Marty McRae (as of July 16, 2026) | Noris Price Superintendent: Noris Price |
| Approximate enrollment | 32,000 students (2026-2027) | 4,693 students (2022-2023)Enrollment: 4,693 (2022–23) |
| Number of schools | 45 | 8 schools listed on the district site |
| District classification | Standard county school system | Charter School System of the State of Georgia A Charter School System of the State of Georgia |
| Official calendar page | bcbe.org/districtcalendars | baldwincountyschoolsga.org/academic-calendars |
| Phone | Bay Minette district office | (478) 453-4176Telephone: (478) 453-4176 |
| 2026-2027 first day of school | Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | Published separately; not confirmed in this guide |
Readers searching for “Baldwin County Schools GA calendar” or “Milledgeville school calendar” should use the Georgia district’s own academic calendars page rather than the Alabama dates listed throughout the rest of this guide, since the two calendars do not align.
Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027 at a Glance
The table below lists every major date documented for the academic year, with the corresponding day of the week.
| Event | Date(s) | Day(s) of Week |
|---|---|---|
| New Teacher Orientation | July 27–28, 2026 | Monday–Tuesday |
| Pre-Planning Week | August 3–11, 2026 | Monday–Tuesday (spanning two weeks) |
| District Professional Development | August 5, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Teacher Institute | August 7, 2026 | Friday |
| First Day of School | August 12, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Labor Day | September 7, 2026 | Monday |
| End of 1st Quarter | October 9, 2026 | Friday |
| Fall Break | October 12–13, 2026 | Monday–Tuesday |
| Teacher Workday / E-Learning Variance Day | October 14, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Veterans Day | November 11, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 23–27, 2026 | Monday–Friday |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 26, 2026 | Thursday |
| End of Semester 1 | December 18, 2026 | Friday |
| Christmas/Winter Break | December 21–31, 2026 | Monday–Thursday |
| Students Return | January 7, 2027 | Thursday |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 18, 2027 | Monday |
| Mardi Gras Break | February 8–10, 2027 | Monday–Wednesday |
| End of 3rd Quarter | March 17, 2027 | Wednesday |
| Good Friday / E-Learning Day | March 26, 2027 | Friday |
| Easter Sunday | March 28, 2027 | Sunday |
| Spring Break | April 12–16, 2027 | Monday–Friday |
| Last Day of School | May 27, 2027 | Thursday |
| Teacher Workday | May 28, 2027 | Friday |
| Memorial Day | May 31, 2027 | Monday |
| Juneteenth | June 19, 2027 | Saturday |
Independent confirmation of the school year’s start and end dates, along with the 180-day total, appears in a third-party calendar aggregation of the district’s published materials. Classes begin August 12, 2026, and end May 27, 2027, with 180 instructional days planned.
Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027 by the Numbers
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total instructional days | 180 |
| Alabama statutory minimum (Ala. Code § 16-13-231) | 180 days or 1,080 instructional hours. The local board of education shall provide a school term of at least 180 full instructional days, or the hourly equivalent of no less than 1080 instructional hours |
| Approximate enrollment (2026-2027) | 32,000 students |
| Number of schools | 45 |
| Board of Education members | 7, serving six-year terms |
| Student-teacher ratio (2022-2023) | 16.42 |
| Weeks of scheduled break (Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mardi Gras, Spring combined) | Approximately 5 weeks |
First Day and Last Day of School
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
The first day of school for Baldwin County Public Schools in the 2026-2027 academic year is Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
This date follows an extended Pre-Planning period for staff running from Monday, August 3, 2026, through Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during which teachers complete District Professional Development (Wednesday, August 5, 2026) and Teacher Institute (Friday, August 7, 2026) before students return to classrooms.
Last Day of School: Thursday, May 27, 2027
The last day of school for the 2026-2027 academic year is Thursday, May 27, 2027, marking the conclusion of the fourth grading period.
A single Teacher Workday follows on Friday, May 28, 2027, and the federal Memorial Day holiday falls on Monday, May 31, 2027, four days after instruction ends.
Pre-Planning, Teacher Institute, and New Teacher Orientation Dates
Pre-Planning, Teacher Institute, and New Teacher Orientation are three distinct staff-only periods that precede the first day of student instruction, each serving a different purpose.
New Teacher Orientation
New Teacher Orientation for Baldwin County Public Schools takes place on Monday, July 27, 2026, and Tuesday, July 28, 2026. This two-day period is reserved for newly hired teachers and occurs roughly one week before returning staff begin Pre-Planning.
Pre-Planning Week
Pre-Planning for all returning staff runs from Monday, August 3, 2026, through Tuesday, August 11, 2026, spanning parts of two calendar weeks with a weekend break in between. Within this window, two specific activities are scheduled:
- District Professional Development on Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- Teacher Institute on Friday, August 7, 2026
District and Local Professional Development Days
District and Local Professional Development days are staff-only dates that occur throughout the school year, not only during Pre-Planning. Examples documented on the 2026-2027 calendar include District PD on Tuesday, January 5, 2027; Local PD on Wednesday, January 6, 2027; and District PD on Thursday, February 11, 2027. On these dates, teachers report for training while students do not attend class.
Grading Periods and Quarter End Dates
Grading periods for Baldwin County Public Schools in 2026-2027 divide the school year into four quarters across two semesters. The table below lists the documented end date and instructional-day count published for each quarter.
| Grading Period | Ends | Documented Instructional Days |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 | Friday, October 9, 2026 | 42 |
| Quarter 2 / End of Semester 1 | Friday, December 18, 2026 | 41 |
| Quarter 3 | Wednesday, March 17, 2027 | 44 |
| Quarter 4 / Last Day of School | Thursday, May 27, 2027 | 46 |
These per-quarter counts reflect the district’s own quarter-benchmark labels rather than a running cumulative total; because the calendar also designates separate E-Learning Variance Days and Professional Development days outside standard quarter blocks, the four figures above do not necessarily sum in a straight line to the confirmed 180-day annual total.
Families needing exact report card and progress report dates should consult BCBE’s separate Reporting Periods calendar, which the district publishes alongside the main academic calendar and which covers graduation dates and locations, testing periods, progress reports, final exams, grading periods, and field trip datesThe 2026-27 Reporting Periods calendar, which contains graduation dates & locations, testing periods, progress reports, final exams, grading periods, important academic dates, retention letters, and field trip dates, is available at this link.
Baldwin County School Holidays and Breaks 2026-2027
Baldwin County school holidays for 2026-2027 include eight major breaks and observances distributed across the academic year, ranging from single-day federal holidays to week-long instructional breaks.
Labor Day
Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7, 2026, and functions as a single-day holiday rather than an extended break. Students and staff are off for the day, and classes resume as scheduled on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Fall Break
Fall Break for students runs from Monday, October 12, 2026, through Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Wednesday, October 14, 2026, immediately follows as a Teacher Workday and E-Learning Variance Day, meaning students remain out of the classroom for three consecutive weekdays even though only two are designated as the formal break. Students return to regular in-person instruction on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving Break spans Monday, November 23, 2026, through Friday, November 27, 2026, a full instructional week. Thanksgiving Day itself falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Thanksgiving Break is from November 23 through November 27, 2026. Thanksgiving Day is observed on November 26, 2026. Students return Monday, November 30, 2026.
Christmas and Winter Break
Christmas and Winter Break run from Monday, December 21, 2026, through Thursday, December 31, 2026, covering the end of the fall semester. Christmas Break runs from December 21 through December 31, 2026. Classes do not resume immediately after; three additional staff dates (Teacher Workday/E-Learning Variance Day on Monday, January 4, 2027; District PD on Tuesday, January 5, 2027; and Local PD on Wednesday, January 6, 2027) precede the return of students on Thursday, January 7, 2027.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on Monday, January 18, 2027, as a single-day holiday. Students return to class on Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
Mardi Gras Break
Mardi Gras Break, a regional observance common to Alabama’s Gulf Coast counties, runs Monday, February 8, 2027, through Wednesday, February 10, 2027. Mardi Gras holidays are scheduled from February 8 through February 10, 2027. District PD on Thursday, February 11, 2027, and a Teacher Workday/E-Learning Variance Day on Friday, February 12, 2027, extend the staff calendar through the full week, with students returning on Monday, February 15, 2027.
Good Friday and Easter
Good Friday, designated as an E-Learning Day on the 2026-2027 calendar, falls on Friday, March 26, 2027. Easter Sunday follows on Sunday, March 28, 2027. Students return to regular instruction on Monday, March 29, 2027.
Spring Break
Spring Break runs from Monday, April 12, 2027, through Friday, April 16, 2027, a full instructional week immediately preceding the fourth quarter’s final stretch. Students return Monday, April 19, 2027.
Memorial Day and Juneteenth
Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, 2027, and Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19, 2027, both fall after the last day of student instruction and primarily affect year-round staff and district office schedules rather than the student calendar.
Family Vacation Planner: Extended Break Windows vs. Instructional Break Days
Baldwin County Public Schools publishes two related but distinct references for the same holidays: a “Vacation Planner” aimed at families and the instructional calendar used to schedule teacher and student attendance.
The Vacation Planner extends each break to include the surrounding weekend days, while the instructional calendar isolates only the specific non-attendance weekdays.
This distinction matters for travel planning, since a trip booked around the full Vacation Planner window will not overlap with a teacher workday or professional development day added onto the instructional break.
| Break | Vacation Planner Range | Instructional Non-Attendance Days | Students Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | September 5–7, 2026 | September 7, 2026 (holiday only) | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 |
| Fall Break | October 10–14, 2026 | October 12–14, 2026 | Thursday, October 15, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving | November 21–29, 2026 | November 23–27, 2026 | Monday, November 30, 2026 |
| Christmas & New Year | December 19, 2026–January 6, 2027 | December 21, 2026–January 6, 2027 | Thursday, January 7, 2027 |
| MLK Weekend | January 16–18, 2027 | January 18, 2027 (holiday only) | Tuesday, January 19, 2027 |
| Mardi Gras | February 6–14, 2027 | February 8–12, 2027 | Monday, February 15, 2027 |
| Easter | March 26–28, 2027 | March 26 & 28, 2027 | Monday, March 29, 2027 |
| Spring Break | April 10–18, 2027 | April 12–16, 2027 | Monday, April 19, 2027 |
Teacher Workdays and E-Learning Variance Days
Teacher Workdays are student holidays during which staff report to campus for planning, grading, or administrative tasks, while E-Learning Variance Days are a related but separate designation used on three dates in the 2026-2027 calendar: Wednesday, October 14, 2026; Monday, January 4, 2027; and Friday, February 12, 2027.
What Is an E-Learning Variance Day?
An E-Learning Variance Day is a calendar designation that pairs a teacher workday with built-in flexibility for remote or asynchronous instruction, a mechanism several Alabama school systems have used in place of traditional weather-related make-up days.
Districts across the state, including Birmingham City Schools, Blount County Schools, and Oneonta City Schools, have used e-learning or virtual learning days during winter weather closures rather than extending the calendar with additional in-person days.
Bessemer City Schools, Birmingham City Schools, and Blount County Schools have used E-Learning Days during severe weather.
Baldwin County’s three 2026-2027 variance dates appear positioned at the same point as its other Teacher Workdays, immediately following Fall Break, Christmas Break, and Mardi Gras Break, though the district has not published a detailed public explanation tying each specific date to a weather contingency plan.
This function differs from a standard Teacher Workday in one respect: it typically preserves the option to shift instruction online if the day is needed for an unplanned closure, without altering the total instructional-day count.
2027 Graduation and Commencement Schedule
The Baldwin County Public Schools Class of 2027 commencement schedule spans three dates in May 2027 across ten ceremonies, based on a schedule revised on June 22, 2026. Families should confirm final details with individual schools, since graduation schedules are subject to revision after publication.
| School | Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMPACT | Tuesday, May 11, 2027 | 6:00 p.m. | Robertsdale Coliseum |
| Baldwin County Virtual School | Monday, May 17, 2027 | 2:00 p.m. | Daphne Civic Center |
| A. Lindsey Baldwin Preparatory Academy | Monday, May 17, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | Foley Event Center |
| Baldwin County High School | Monday, May 17, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | Bill Mitchell Field |
| Spanish Fort High School | Monday, May 17, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | Spanish Fort Stadium |
| Fairhope High School | Monday, May 17, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | W. C. Majors Field |
| Elberta High School | Monday, May 17, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | Warrior Field |
| Daphne High School | Tuesday, May 18, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | Trojan Field |
| Foley High School | Tuesday, May 18, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | Foley Event Center |
| Robertsdale High School | Tuesday, May 18, 2027 | 7:00 p.m. | J.D. Sellars Stadium |
Note that Baldwin Preparatory Academy and Foley High School share the Foley Event Center on different dates, which typically requires families to confirm parking and seating logistics in advance for either ceremony.
Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027 PDF Download and Registration
How to Download the Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027 PDF
The Baldwin County school calendar 2026-2027 PDF is available directly through the district’s official calendar hub rather than through third-party aggregator sites, which reduces the risk of downloading an outdated or unofficial version.
BCBE hosts the current-year academic calendar, the graduation calendar, and the reporting periods calendar as separate downloadable files on the same page. To download the 2026-2027 BCBE Graduation Calendar, please click this link.
The 2026-27 Reporting Periods calendar is available at this link.
Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027 PDF Download Steps
- Navigate to bcbe.org/districtcalendars, the district’s official calendar page.
- Locate the 2026-2027 academic calendar listing, distinct from the graduation calendar and reporting periods calendar links on the same page.
- Select the PDF download link to open or save the file.
- Cross-check the printed first day (August 12, 2026) and last day (May 27, 2027) against this guide to confirm the correct academic year.
- For graduation-specific dates, download the separate 2026-2027 BCBE Graduation Calendar rather than relying on the main academic calendar PDF, since the two documents are published independently.
2026-2027 Student Registration Timeline
Registration for the 2026-2027 school year has typically opened in early June preceding the academic year, based on prior district planning communications; families should confirm the exact 2026 opening date through BCBE’s registration page rather than assuming it matches a prior year exactly, since districts occasionally adjust registration windows.
What This Calendar Does Not Cover
This guide does not cover the academic calendars of independent municipal school systems that have separated from Baldwin County Public Schools’ governance, such as Orange Beach City Schools, which formed its own district after splitting from the Baldwin County Board of Education. School district: Orange Beach City Schools (formerly Baldwin County Board of Education).
It also does not cover private or parochial schools located within Baldwin County, which set independent calendars, nor does it apply to homeschool families, since Alabama imposes no minimum instructional-day requirement on families operating under the church school provision, the pathway used by most Alabama homeschoolersIf you are homeschooling under the church school provision — which is how most Alabama families legally home educate — the state imposes no minimum instructional days, no minimum hours per day, and no mandatory schedule.
Finally, this guide is informational and does not substitute for BCBE’s official published calendar for attendance, payroll, or legal compliance purposes; district publications remain the authoritative source in the event of any discrepancy.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Baldwin County School Calendar 2026-2027
When does the 2026-2027 school year start in Baldwin County?
The 2026-2027 school year for Baldwin County Public Schools starts on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, and concludes on Thursday, May 27, 2027, covering 180 instructional days.
When is Spring Break in Baldwin County for 2027?
Spring Break runs Monday, April 12, 2027, through Friday, April 16, 2027. Students return to class on Monday, April 19, 2027.
Are teacher workdays the same as student holidays?
Teacher workdays are student holidays in the sense that no classes meet, but they are not equivalent to breaks. Staff report to campus or work remotely on these dates for planning, grading, or professional development, while students have no attendance obligation.
What is the difference between the Alabama and Georgia Baldwin County calendars?
The Alabama calendar (Baldwin County Public Schools, Bay Minette) and the Georgia calendar (Baldwin County School District, Milledgeville) are set by two unrelated boards with different start dates, break schedules, and superintendents, so neither calendar applies to the other district’s families.
Where can families download the official Baldwin County school calendar PDF?
The official PDF is available at bcbe.org/districtcalendars, alongside separate downloads for the graduation calendar and the reporting periods calendar covering grading periods and testing windows.
Is the Baldwin County school calendar for 2026-2027 board-approved?
Yes. Alabama Code requires the local board of education to establish an academic calendar meeting the state’s 180-day or 1,080-hour minimum, and district-level publication of the 2026-2027 dates, including the August 12, 2026, start date, reflects that board-approved calendar. The academic school calendar, established by the local board of education, shall include the minimum required number of instructional days or hours.
Related Baldwin County Public Schools Calendars
Families comparing calendars across the region may also search for the Mobile County school calendar or the Escambia County (Florida) school calendar, both of which border Baldwin County but operate under separate boards with independent academic schedules.
Georgia readers specifically searching for Baldwin County Schools, GA calendar information should reference baldwincountyschoolsga.org/academic-calendars directly, since that district publishes its own printable calendar separately from the Alabama dates detailed throughout this guide.
