Early release day on Wednesday, May 12, 2027. No school for students on September 1 and 2, 2026 and on May 13 and 14, 2027. Schools are also closed on Election Day (November 3), Veterans Day (November 11), Indigenous Peoples’ and Italian Heritage Day (October 12) and Eid al-Fitr (March 10). Mid-winter recess is February 16 to 19, 2027, after Presidents’ Day on February 15.

Thanksgiving recess is short in Buffalo: Wednesday, November 25 through Friday, November 27, 2026. Kids are in school Monday and Tuesday, then back on Monday, November 30. With only three days off, most families stay within driving distance, and late November can bring lake-effect snow, so check the forecast before you head out. If you’re flying, the Wednesday before is one of the busiest travel days of the year, so book early or leave Tuesday night.

Winter recess runs from Thursday, December 24, 2026, through Friday, January 1, 2027, and students are back on Monday, January 4. That’s Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, with no extra weekdays added on either end. The last day before break is Wednesday, December 23, so check with your school about an early dismissal. Buffalo winters are no joke, so many families stay close. If you’re driving anywhere, give yourself extra time for the trip back on January 3.

Buffalo’s spring break is longer than it looks. Good Friday, March 26, is a day off, and so is Monday, March 29, which the district lists as Easter observed. Spring recess then runs Tuesday, March 30 through Friday, April 2, and students are back on Monday, April 5. That’s ten days in a row counting both weekends, so it’s a good window for a real trip. Easter itself is Sunday, March 28. In April, students in grades 3 to 8 take state tests on April 13 to 14 and April 27 to 28, so plan trips around those.

The last day of school for students is Thursday, June 24, 2027, and teachers finish the next day. Memorial Day, May 31, and Juneteenth, observed Friday, June 18, each give families a long weekend before then. High school students have Regents exams from June 15 to 24, so check your teen’s exam schedule before you plan trips. Camps and summer jobs fill up early, so sign up well ahead.

Buffalo Public Schools is closed on Monday, January 18, 2027, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. With the weekend, that's three days off, and students are back on Tuesday, January 19. It's the first day off after winter recess ends on January 1, and the next one is Presidents' Day on February 15, which leads straight into mid-winter break. High school students have Regents exams from January 26 to 29, so the long weekend is a good time to catch up on review before testing week.