Community Feedback for School Year Calendar
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Summary: Thank you to the students, families, staff, and community who provided feedback on school year dates and religious accommodations guidance.
Community Feedback for SPS School Year Calendar and Guidance for Religious Accommodations
Thank you to the students, families, staff, and community that provided feedback on future school year dates and religious accommodations guidance.
Seattle Public Schools and our union partners including the educators’ union, Seattle Education Association (SEA), work together to develop the calendar and guidance. The dates are agreed upon and then voted on by the Seattle School Board.
School Year Calendar Feedback
The feedback collected will be used to inform future school year calendar dates. This community engagement will help inform future negotiations for calendar dates.
The feedback form asked which school year dates students, families, staff, and SPS community are most interested in changing. The form also asked for community suggestions for religious accommodation guidance.
- Feedback form open Jan. 3 – 13, 2023
- 3,106 responses
- Family member: 2,240
- SPS staff: 756
- Students: 61
- Community member: 35
Number of respondents by school year date they would most like to see changed.
- Mid-winter break: 1,219
- First day of school: 958
- Emergency closure make-up days: 770
- Winter break: 365
- Spring break: 264
School Year Calendar
The calendar includes key school year dates, such as the first day of school and scheduled school breaks. Please use next year’s calendar as a guide for your feedback on future school years.
View the approved 2023-24 school year dates
Religious Accommodation Guidance
SPS is home to students, families, and staff with a broad range of religious observance. Because of this diversity, not all religious and cultural events can be accommodated. The Guidance Regarding Religion and Religious Accommodations is a reference for our community.
School leaders and educators should consider which observances might affect student attendance and participation in school events. Central office administrators should consider these dates when scheduling district-wide events and programing.
State law and the district procedure provides students an excused absence for the observance of a religious or cultural holiday.
Read the 2023-24 Guidance Regarding Religion and Religious Accommodations.
