Reduced Academic Calendar Requests

Schools seeking to operate in 2026-27 with less than the state-mandated 160 student contact days for grades 1-12 must submit a Reduced Academic Calendar (RAC) request to CSI by Friday, April 17th. CSI will review and submit the requests to CDE for approval.

Please note that, in accordance with updated guidance from CDE, schools operating on a 4-day week, but with at least 160 scheduled days do not need to submit a reduced academic calendar request.

Instructions for Submitting

NEW for 2026-27: The formal request process to operate on fewer than 160 student contact days is now incorporated into the School Calendar and Bell Schedule submission in Epicenter.

Steps:

• Download a copy of the request template: Request for <160 School Days [xlsx]
• Complete the template and rename the file to include your school name.
• In Epicenter, submit your completed request file by April 17, 2026, along with all other required documents for the School Calendar and Bell Schedule submission.

Instructional Hours

Schools operating with less than the state-mandated 160 student contact days must still meet the minimum planned instructional hour requirements outlined in the CDE Instructional Hours Resource Guide. If unexpected closures occur, schools may need to make up instructional time to ensure compliance with minimum student contact days and/or actual instructional hour requirements for the year.