Back to school
Back to school

When is the first day of school in metro Atlanta?

Public schools begin for students in early August

Atlanta high schools with most college scholarships
By Ben Brasch, J.D. Capelouto, Amanda C. Coyne, Kristal Dixon and Raisa Habersham
Aug 1, 2019

UPDATED INFO: 2020 Start Dates for metro Atlanta public schools

The first day of school for public school students in metro Atlanta happens well before Labor Day, with quite a few schools opening their doors on Aug. 1.

Students in Atlanta Public Schools and Fulton County are among the last to start back, on Monday Aug. 12. Rockdale County starts back to school on Monday, July 29.

Drivers, take note: Even if you don't have a school-age child, these first days of school are almost certain to mean more traffic for your morning and afternoon commutes.

Learn more in our county-by-county school stories:

MORE: Complete back-to-school coverage

Start Dates for City School Districts

> Atlanta: Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. APS school calendar

> Buford: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. Buford school calendar

> Decatur: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. Decatur school calendar

> Marietta: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. Marietta city school calendar

Start Dates for County School Districts

> Cherokee: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. Cherokee schools calendar

> Clayton: Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. Clayton schools calendar 

> Cobb: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. Cobb schools calendar

> DeKalb: Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. DeKalb schools calendar

> Douglas: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. Douglas schools calendar

> Fayette: Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. Fayette County schools calendar

> Forsyth: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, Forsyth County schools calendar

> Fulton: Monday, Aug. 12, 2019, Fulton County schools calendar

> Gwinnett: Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, Gwinnett schools calendar

> Henry: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, Henry County schools calendar

> Rockdale: Monday, July 29, 2019, Rockdale County schools calendar

> RELATED: What happened to Georgia sales tax holiday for school supplies?

School buses will be back at work in August for the 2019-2020 school year in metro Atlanta. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM
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By Start Date

> Monday, July 29, 2019: Rockdale County

> Thursday Aug. 1, 2019: Decatur City, Marietta City, Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth, Henry

> Monday, Aug. 5, 2019: Clayton, DeKalb, Fayette, Gwinnett

> Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019: Buford City, Douglas County

> Monday, Aug. 12, 2019: Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County

School guide and information from the AJC

Find school test scores and more useful information about every metro Atlanta public school in the AJC Ultimate Atlanta School Guide. The AJC is also your source for local school news at ajc.com/news/schools/.

About the Authors

Ben Brasch is the reporter tasked with keeping Fulton County government accountable. The Florida native moved to Atlanta for a job with The AJC. If there's something important to you going on in Fulton, he wants to know about it. Help him better metro Atlanta by dropping a line, anonymously or otherwise.

Follow Ben Brasch on twitter

J.D. is a local news reporter covering intown Atlanta and Atlanta City Hall for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Follow J.D. Capelouto on twitter

Amanda Coyne is a hyperlocal reporter for the AJC, covering Gwinnett County.

Follow Amanda C. Coyne on facebookFollow Amanda C. Coyne on twitter

Kristal Dixon covers Cobb and DeKalb county schools for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Before joining the AJC, Dixon worked for Patch.com and the Cherokee Tribune in Canton.

Follow Kristal Dixon on twitter

Raisa Habersham is the Intown Atlanta hyperlocal reporter for The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

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