The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) have announced a revised last day of classes after leadership decided against using a religious holiday as a make-up day.
According to the updated calendar, the final day of school for MCPS students will now be June 25, designated as an early release day.
Additional changes to the school year include the following:
- Thursday, June 18 (full day)
- Monday, June 22 (full day)
- Wednesday, June 24 (early release)
It’s important to note that for Arcola Elementary School, the last day will be June 17, as it adheres to an innovative school calendar.
The recent modifications to the 2025-2026 school year were approved late Thursday, following a significant snowstorm in January that led to temporary school closures.
The snow days resulted in the need for MCPS to make up four instructional days to comply with state regulations mandating 180 school days each year.
Initially, in early February, the school system had announced plans to extend the school year by one day and convert March 20 into an instructional day.
This year, however, March 20 coincides with Eid al-Fitr, a significant Islamic holiday that marks the conclusion of Ramadan.
While MCPS indicated that students observing the holiday would receive an excused absence, the decision faced backlash from local families and organizations who expressed disappointment.
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In response to the adjustments made on Thursday, Zainab Chaudry, the director of the Maryland division of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, expressed appreciation for the swift action taken to ensure Eid al-Fitr remained a non-instructional day.
“We are grateful to Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor and the Montgomery County Board of Education for their dedicated efforts in collaborating with the Montgomery County Delegation to find a solution that respects both educational requirements and religious observance,” Chaudry stated.
“Eid is a sacred occasion for many families in MCPS, and CAIR acknowledges the considerable effort required to restore it as a non-instructional day on the calendar due to the policies of the State Department of Education.”
In a statement, MCPS clarified that their requests for waivers for the other two make-up days were denied by the state on February 10.
“Balancing instructional time with student and staff safety during inclement weather is a challenging task,” the statement noted.
“We wish the calendar situation this year was less complex and uncertain, but unfortunately, it is not.”
With more snow predicted this weekend, MCPS acknowledged that further adjustments may be necessary.
Additionally, they highlighted that pending legislation in the State General Assembly could allow the district to meet a minimum number of instructional hours, which they typically exceed. If approved, this would eliminate the need for extending the school year.
