By Pedro Bianco
En esta noticia
With the end of the year in sight, families in the United States begin organizing the school winter break, those weeks off that split the cycle between December and January.
Unlike other countries, there is no single calendar: each school district sets its own dates, so vacation days change depending on the city.
Below, when the 2026-2027 winter break begins and when classes resume in four of the largest districts with the country’s largest Hispanic population.
When winter break will begin in the United States
Miami (Miami-Dade County Public Schools)
In Miami-Dade County, winter break will run from Monday, December 21, 2026 to Friday, January 1, 2027. Friday, December 18 will also be a day without classes for students, so break will effectively begin a little earlier. Returning to the classroom is scheduled for the first days of January, on Monday the 4th.
New York (NYC Public Schools)
The New York City district, the largest in the country, will have a somewhat shorter break: from Thursday, December 24, 2026 to Friday, January 1, 2027. Students will return to class on Monday, January 4, 2027. It is one of the few dates that appears directly in the city’s official Department of Education calendar.
Los Angeles (LAUSD)
The Los Angeles Unified School District is the one that offers the longest break of the four. Its winter break will extend from Monday, December 21, 2026 to Friday, January 8, 2027, and classes will resume on Monday, January 11, when the second semester begins. In total, almost three weeks of vacation, one week more than in the other cities.
Houston (Houston ISD)
In the Houston district, the largest in Texas, winter break will run from Monday, December 21, 2026 to Friday, January 1, 2027. The return will take place at the beginning of January: Tuesday the 5th is the day students will return (with Monday the 4th reserved, in principle, for teaching staff activities).