The Department of Education (DepEd) released the School Calendar and Activities for the School Year 2026-2027, together with the adoption of the Three-Term School Year. The calendar highlights that there will be 201 school days in total; however, this is subject to change in unforeseen circumstances. The number of school days should not exceed 220, in accordance with Republic Act No. 11480, while the Department of Education’s historical ideal minimum is 180 days. The calendar for School Year 2026-2027 is considerably acceptable in all legal standards.
The uniqueness of this calendar in recent years is that it mandated our educational system to return to the June–March school cycle. Based on DepEd Order 09 (s. 2026), the school calendar is now divided into three terms that are subdivided into blocks. Nevertheless, you can find a detailed explanation about the change brought by the Three-Term School Year Policy on a separate page. This is important because of the country’s weather cycle. In the previous School Year 2025–2026, many schools frequently experienced class disruptions due to heavy rain or typhoon season.
It is also important to point out that the DepEd Order No. 09 (s. 2026) allows the continued use of different learning modalities to combat suspensions. Furthermore, the Department of Education has authorized school heads, Superintendents (SDS), or any person in a position of authority to automatically suspend classes under certain circumstances. For example, according to the DepEd Guidelines on the Suspension of Classes, classes from preschool to college are automatically suspended when a Typhoon Signal No. 3 is issued by PAGASA.
Official Start for SY 2026–2027
The school opening for all public schools is scheduled for June 8, 2026. Private schools, however, have the discretion to set their start dates. They must submit a request to the Schools Division Office and a copy of their school calendar in their area.
Furthermore, Brigada Eskwela will run nationwide from June 1 to 5, alongside the enrollment period in public schools. These days form the Opening Block and belong to Term 1 under the Three‑Term School Calendar. In addition, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 7, Grade 11, transferees, and Balik‑Aral learners must submit a birth certificate, report card, and BEEF. However, learners in Grades 2 to 6 and Grades 8 to 10 who are continuing in the same school only need to submit a confirmation slip.
Important Dates and Activities of DepEd School Calendar 2026-2027
Excited for the upcoming school year? Classes will begin on June 8, 2026, and will end on March 31, 2027, for learners, as this date is allotted for the End‑of‑School‑Year (EOSY) rites, marking the start of the summer break. However, the actual end of the third term is on April 8, 2027, which teachers should remember. Teachers are accustomed to the idea of “no more classes beyond Graduation Day,” but the three‑term school calendar changes this practice. Teachers must continue reporting to school to complete school forms, with mandatory reporting until April 8, 2027. Below is the summary of the School Calendar 2026-2027 with its important activities and dates.
| Important Activities | Dates |
|---|---|
| EOSY Intervention Program | May 4-22, 2026 |
| Oplan Balik Eskwela | May 4-29, 2026 |
| Enrollment Period | June 1-5, 2026 |
| Brigada Eskwela | June 1-5, 2026 |
| 1st Term | June 1 -September 15, 2026 |
| Term 1: First Teacher-made Summative Test | July 6, 2026 |
| Term 1: Second Teacher-made Summative Test | July 28, 2026 |
| Term 1 Final Examination | August 28 & September 1, 2026 |
| End-of-Term Activities for Term 1 | September 2-15, 2026 |
| 2nd Term | September 16-December 18, 2026 |
| Term 2: First Teacher-made Summative Test | October 7, 2026 |
| Term 2: Second Teacher-made Summative Test | October 28, 2026 |
| Term 2 Final Examination | December 3-4, 2026 |
| End-of-Term Activities for Term 2 | December 7-18, 2026 |
| Christmas Break | December 20-31, 2025 |
| Resumption of Classes | January 4, 2027 |
| 3rd Term | January 4-March 31, 2027 |
| Term 3: First Teacher-made Summative Test | January 25, 2027 |
| Term 3: Second Teacher-made Summative Test | February 16, 2027 |
| Term 3 Final Examination | March 15-16, 2027 |
| End-of-Term Activities for Term 3 | March 24-31, 2027 |
| End-of-School-Year Rites | March 30–31, 2027 |
Detailed School Calendar for SY 2026-2027
You can see the different activities included in the calendar in the PDF below. Furthermore, a sample class program can be viewed in our separate page entitled “DepEd Sample of Class and Teacher’s Program or Time Allotment in Three-Term School Calendar“. For a detailed list of activities in SY 2025-2026, you can download the School Calendar directly.
No. of School Days
| Term | Months | No. of School Days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June | 16 |
| 1 | July | 23 |
| 1 | August | 19 |
| 1 | September | 11 |
| 2 | September | 11 |
| 2 | October | 22 |
| 2 | November | 19 |
| 2 | December | 13 |
| 3 | January | 20 |
| 3 | February | 20 |
| 3 | March | 21 |
| 3 | April | 9 |
| Total | 201 |
New Guidelines or Policies
DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026 formally adopts the Three‑Term School Calendar starting School Year 2026–2027. Thus, DepEd introduced this change to protect instructional time, reduce class disruptions, and strengthen learning recovery efforts. Therefore, the Order replaces the four‑quarter system with a structure that allows longer and more focused teaching periods. The new calendar divides the school year into three academic terms, each composed of an Opening Block, Instructional Block, and End‑of‑Term Block. This structure limits interruptions during class days and places non‑teaching activities in dedicated periods. As a result, teachers can focus more on instruction, and learners experience better continuity in learning.
Under the three‑term system, schools now conduct grade computation only three times per school year, once at the end of each term, instead of four (Annex B; Section V‑A, DepEd Order 9 s. 2026). The Order also directs schools to schedule intra‑school activities, such as sports competitions, Festival of Talents, and School Press Conferences, only during the End‑of‑Term Block to prevent disruption of instructional time.
The Order strengthens learning recovery by embedding the Academic Recovery for Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program within both the Instructional Block and the End‑of‑Term Block. This approach ensures regular remediation without cutting into regular class hours. DepEd also introduces calendar‑based Wellness Breaks for learners and teachers during the End‑of‑Term Block. These breaks are mandatory rest periods and are explicitly different from the Wellness Leave granted under DepEd Order No. 002, s. 2026. This distinction helps protect teacher well‑being without affecting leave credits.
Finally, the Order allows flexibility in class scheduling and instructional pacing. The Budget of Work (BoW) uses weeks instead of fixed daily or hourly allotments, and DepEd advises Regional and Division Offices not to impose rigid time requirements.
Teachers’ Preparation Tips
The School Calendar for SY 2026–2027 provides teachers with ample time to prepare their classrooms. In the meantime, teachers are encouraged to begin advocating for Brigada Eskwela to gain support from parents and partners in preparing school facilities. Before returning from vacation, you can visit our collection of classroom decorations and bulletin board visuals for inspiration. Furthermore, we invite you to use our ready-made teaching resources below, all aligned with the latest curriculum.
- Daily Lesson Log (DLL)
- Lesson Exemplars (LE)
- Weekly Home Learning Plan (WHLP)
- Modules and LEAP
- Learning Activity Sheets (LAS)
- Lesson PowerPoint (PPT)
FAQs
The DepEd school calendar for SY 2026–2027 highlights that there will be 201 school days in total. Classes will begin on June 8, 2026, and will end on March 31, 2027.
The school opening for all public schools is scheduled for June 8, 2026. Private schools, however, have the discretion to set their start dates.
All public schools must implement full face-to-face classes as the primary learning modality. However, they are allowed to offer online or modular learning in certain situations where face-to-face classes are not viable.
There are 201 class days scheduled in the DepEd academic calendar for School Year 2025–2026.
The Christmas break is from December 19, 2026, to January 3, 2027, with classes resuming on January 4.
Yes, they must submit a request to the Schools Division Office in their area along with a copy of their school calendar.