Honestly, trying to pin down a school schedule in a city as big as Long Beach can feel like chasing a moving target. You’ve got the massive Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) serving tens of thousands of kids, and then you’ve got the "other" Long Beach schools—the specialized academies like CAMS or Sato that sometimes play by their own rules.
If you are a parent or a student, the long beach schools calendar isn’t just a piece of paper. It’s the difference between booking a cheap flight for spring break and paying triple because you realized the dates were shifted by a week.
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The 2025-2026 Academic Pulse
For the current 2025-2026 school year, things are already in full swing. Most students officially kicked off the year on August 26, 2025. It’s early, right? The district has been leaning into these late-August starts for a while now to ensure the first semester wraps up before the winter holidays.
Nobody wants to be studying for finals while eating leftover turkey.
The fall semester officially hits its stride in November. Here’s the deal: Veteran’s Day on November 11 is a hard stop—no school. But the real break everyone waits for is Thanksgiving week. In Long Beach, students get the full week off, from November 24 to November 28, 2025.
If you're planning a trip to Big Bear or just staying local, that's your window.
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Winter and Spring: The Long Haul
Winter Recess is the big one. For the 2025-2026 stretch, the break runs from December 22, 2025, through January 2, 2026.
Classes resume on January 5.
It feels like a fast turnaround, especially since the fall semester doesn't actually end until January 23, 2026. This is a quirk of the LBUSD schedule that confuses people every year. The "Spring Semester" doesn't start until January 26.
Spring Break 2026 is scheduled for April 6 to April 10.
Kinda interesting fact: LBUSD usually aligns this with local needs, but sometimes it doesn't match up perfectly with the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) schedule. If you have one kid in high school and one at the university, keep your eyes peeled for that overlap—or lack thereof.
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Why Some Schools Are Different
You might hear your neighbor talk about their kid having a different week off. They aren't lying. Schools like CAMS (California Academy of Mathematics and Science) and Sato Academies often have specialized calendars.
Because CAMS is located on a college campus, they have to sync up with university holidays and lab schedules. If you’re looking at the long beach schools calendar for a specialized school, always double-check the "Exceptions" section of the district website.
Key Dates for the Fridge
- Lincoln’s Day: February 9, 2026 (No School)
- Washington’s Day: February 16, 2026 (No School)
- Admission Day: April 3, 2026 (No School)
- Memorial Day: May 25, 2026 (No School)
- Last Day of School: June 11, 2026
The year ends on a Thursday. It’s a bit of a tradition now. That final bell rings, and the city basically turns into one giant beach party for three months.
Strategic Planning for Parents
Don't just look at the holidays. Look at the Student Free Days.
There is a big one on November 3, 2025. Teachers are doing professional development, which basically means they're in meetings all day while you're scrambling to find childcare. Mark these "professional development" days in red on your calendar. They are the "stealth holidays" that ruin work schedules if you aren't ready.
Also, minimum days are a thing during conference weeks. For elementary schools, those usually happen in early November and late March. Dismissal is typically around 1:00 PM.
Final Thoughts on the Long Beach Schools Calendar
Basically, the best way to handle the LBUSD schedule is to treat it as a living document. While the Board of Education approves these dates well in advance, small shifts can happen.
If you are a planner, you've probably already noticed that the 2026-2027 calendar is usually posted at least a year out. Looking ahead is the only way to survive the logistics of a school year in Long Beach.
Next Steps for Long Beach Families:
- Sync Your Digital Calendar: Go to the official LBUSD website and use the "Export to Calendar" feature. It’s way better than typing everything manually.
- Check for "Minimum Day" Alerts: Set a notification for the week of March 31—elementary conferences will likely trigger early dismissals that aren't always top-of-mind.
- Verify Specialized Sites: If your student is at Sato or CAMS, download their specific PDF, as it varies significantly from the traditional K-5 or Middle School schedule.