Jordan School Board reviews two 2026–27 calendar options, approves survey
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Summary
The Jordan School District calendar committee presented two draft 2026–27 school-year calendars — a “long breaks” plan and a “short breaks” alternative. The board authorized a two-week community survey and will return April 22 with a recommendation for formal approval.
The Jordan School District Board of Education on March 25 heard a presentation from the district calendar committee on two draft calendars for the 2026–27 school year and voted to send both options to a public survey.
The calendars were presented by calendar committee chair Mister Olsen and Associate Superintendent Michael Anderson. Olsen explained the committee process and legal constraints, saying “Our calendar process is governed by district policy, which is D207.” He walked the board through legal requirements in Utah Code and Utah State Board of Education guidance, including that state law sets the school year at nine months and USBE sets the year at 180 days.
Both draft calendars meet board policy and state requirements, Olsen said. The “long breaks” option includes a weeklong fall recess and a weeklong spring recess plus two weeks at winter recess and ends the school year on Friday, June 4. The “short breaks” option shortens fall and spring recesses (fall recess would be three days including a grade-transmittal day), keeps two weeks for winter recess and would end the school year May 28, before Memorial Day. Olsen noted implications such as graduation scheduling and a requirement that quarters be at least 43 days to meet a driver’s-ed seat-time rule.
Board members asked questions about specifics: whether Thanksgiving could be a week off, flexibility around grade-transmittal days, and how the calendar interacts with Utah High School Activities Association state tournament schedules. Michael Anderson and Mister Olsen said the committee designed both options to preserve required transmittal days and to keep high-school start dates one day ahead of other levels. The committee plans a two-week survey beginning the Monday after spring break and will return to the board with survey results and a recommendation at the April 22 meeting.
In discussion before the vote, Mister Dunford moved to approve both calendar options for public survey; Doctor Robinson seconded. Board president Nikki George called for the voice vote, and the motion carried unanimously.
What happens next: the calendar survey will be issued to patrons for two weeks following spring recess; the committee will analyze results and present a single recommended calendar for board approval on April 22, 2025.
Sources and evidence: Committee presentation, BoardDocs materials (calendar guideline document, historical start/end dates back to 1978), and in-meeting comments by Olsen and Anderson.
