Here’s the 411 on Atlanta Public Schools

Back to school
APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen is overseeing some rapid changes in the school system. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen is overseeing some rapid changes in the school system. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Atlanta Public Schools begins classes Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Here’s a guide to help you navigate the school system and get your kids back to school.

Atlanta Public Schools enrolls 51,927 students from Fulton and DeKalb counties. The district includes 90 schools, 74 of them Title I schools, and  17 charter schools.

You can check into school change information for this year here.

In July 2016, the district became a charter system, a way of organizing school operations that gave the district freedom from some state regulations and is intended to delegate some decisions about schools to local, school-level governance teams. As part of the new system, each high school and the schools that feed into it developed themes for their cluster. The themes include International Baccalaureate; science, technology, engineering and math; and preparation for college and careers.

There’s a district wide back-to-school event on July 29.

Also, individual schools will hold open houses on July 28.

Elementary schools will host open houses from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

High schools will be open from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Middle school students and families can visit between 3 and 5 p.m.

Superintendent: Meria Carstarphen

Carstarphen became Atlanta Public Schools superintendent in 2014. She previously served as superintendent of the Austin, Texas, and Saint Paul, Minnesota, school districts.

School board

Find information about your school board members here.

Watch board meetings online.

First day of school

Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Bus routes

Find information about bus routes after July 26.

Calendar (2017-18) information is here.

Holidays:

September 4 Labor Day

October 7 Teacher Professional Learning Day

October 9-13 Fall Break

November 7 Election Day/Teacher Professional Learning Day

November 20-24 Thanksgiving Break

December 25-29 Semester Break

January 1-5 Semester Break

January 15 M.L. King, Jr. Birthday

February 19-23 Winter Break/Presidents’ Day

April 2-6 Spring Break

May 25 Last Day of School

Frequently asked questions.

School lunch menus

Find school meal menus.

Enrollment and information for newcomers

http://atlanta.k12.ga.us/Page/49656

Student Demographics (2015-16)

African-American 74%

White 15%

Hispanic 7%

Multiracial 2%

Asian/American Indian/Alaskan/Other 1%

(May not total 100% due to rounding.)