School Calendar & Instructional Hours
The following resources provide guidance on developing school calendars and bell schedules in compliance with state requirements.
Pursuant to 1 CCR 301-39-2.06 (et seq.) and 1 CCR 301-39-2.09, the local board of education shall provide for the adoption of a calendar (and individual grade level calendars, where appropriate) that provides the minimum number of student contact days and instructional hours required.
IMPORTANT: If any changes are made to the school calendar and/or bell schedules after the initial submission, schools must submit a revised version so CSI can update records and recalculate calendar days and instructional hours to ensure compliance.
For questions or support, please email submissions_CSI@csi.state.co.us.
General Resources
Visit the Data Submissions Library for:
- Data Submissions Handbook
- Data Submissions Calendar
- Troubleshooting Errors
Calendar and Instructional Hours
- CDE Calendar and Instructional Hours Guidance: This CDE resource supports schools in aligning calendars and bell schedules with instructional day and hour requirements.
- UPDATED! January 2026 Annual School Calendar Submission Guidance [docx]: Each Spring, CSI schools submit their board-approved calendars and bell schedules to CSI. This guidance ensures calendars and schedules meet state and CSI requirements.
- UPDATED! January 2026 Instructional Time Summary & Calculations Template [Template] [Filled Example]
Other Unique Circumstances
- Emergency School Closures: Schools may need to close for an unplanned reason. Guidance related to emergency closures, including using remote learning days in lieu of closures, are included in this resource.
- Reduced Academic Calendar Requests: Schools may choose to schedule less than 160 student contact days, subject to CSI and CDE approval.