Several metro Atlanta school districts elected to start school a week later in 2019, adjusting their calendars and shortening midyear breaks so as to not change when school ends.

The DeKalb County School District, so far, is not among them.

As it stands, the district's students will report for the first day of school on Aug. 5, according to the calendar approved by the DeKalb Board of Education in 2018.

Atlanta Public Schools and Fulton County Schools officials approved 2019-2020 school year calendars that had classes beginning later than previous years. To accommodate without ending the year later, both shaved days from teacher planning and midyear breaks.

The moves were made as a Senate study committee considered school start dates, eventually recommending start dates within 10 days of September's Labor Day holiday, which takes place on the first Monday of the month. It would create longer summers for Georgia students, seen as better for businesses that depend on tourism and vacationers.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Board members listen during an Atlanta School Board meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. APS held its first vote on school consolidation plans. (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

Featured

Prosecutor Skandalakis has previously suggested that pursuing criminal charges against President Donald Trump may not be feasible until after he leaves office in 2029. (Craig Hudson/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images