When is the first day of school in metro Atlanta?
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?
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.
J.D. is a local news reporter covering intown Atlanta and Atlanta City Hall for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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.
