School Calendars Today (March 5, 2026)

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Today, Thursday, March 5, 2026, is not a US Federal Holiday. Schools across the country are in a standard instructional period, though many are entering a critical window for spring testing and next-year enrollment.

Upcoming Deadlines (Standard Day)

Immediate Deadlines

If you are planning for the 2026–2027 school year, this is a “Red Alert” week for applications in several major districts:

  • Chicago Public Schools (GoCPS): The deadline to accept High School offers and the closing of the Selective Enrollment High School (SEHS) Principal Discretion application is Friday, March 6, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

  • New York City (NYC DOE): While the 3-K and Pre-K deadline was late February, late-stage registration for various choice programs and waitlist updates are currently being processed.

  • Philadelphia (SDP): Weekly waitlist offers for the school selection process are currently being released every Monday; families typically have only three days to respond.

  • Iowa School Districts: For many districts (like West Marshall CSD), the state-wide deadline for Open Enrollment for grades 1–12 for the next school year was March 1, meaning late appeals or secondary windows may be the only option now.

Testing Windows

We are entering the “Spring Assessment” season. Parents should be aware of the following:

  • Texas (STAAR): The TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System) window is currently open (Feb 16 – March 27). Formal STAAR Alternate 2 previewing for teachers begins March 16.

  • Florida (FAST): While PM2 testing has concluded, districts are currently in the FAA (Florida Alternate Assessment) data collection period for February–March. The high-stakes PM3 testing begins later this month.

  • National (NAEP): Selected schools across the US are currently participating in the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) window, which runs through late March.

District-Specific Highlights

Here is the early release and special schedule status for the top 7 largest U.S. school districts for the upcoming week:

District Location Status for March 5, 2026
NYC Public Schools New York, NY Early Dismissal: Elementary & Pre-K students dismissed 3 hours early for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Los Angeles Unified Los Angeles, CA Standard Day; Tuesday (March 10) typically follows early dismissal patterns.
Chicago Public Schools Chicago, IL Standard Day; High School application results/acceptance due tomorrow.
Miami-Dade County Miami, FL Standard Day.
Clark County (CCSD) Las Vegas, NV Standard Day.
Broward County Fort Lauderdale, FL Standard Day; several “Staff Working Group” and “Facilities Task Force” meetings today.
Houston ISD Houston, TX Standard Day; focus on TELPAS testing.

Looking Ahead: The March Break Horizon

While today is a standard day, the Spring Break 2026 wave begins next week for many districts (notably in Texas and Tennessee starting March 9). Additionally, Friday, March 20, 2026, is already marked on calendars for NYC and other districts as a school closure in observance of Eid al-Fitr.

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