Back to school
Back to school

Metro Atlanta students starting back to school

May 23, 2018 Sandy Springs - A Fulton County Schools bus brings traffic to a halt on Powers Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, in the last week of school. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

May 23, 2018 Sandy Springs - A Fulton County Schools bus brings traffic to a halt on Powers Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, in the last week of school. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM
By Ty Tagami
July 30, 2018

Like an ice cream cone that melts too quickly, summer break is almost over, and school buses and parents — no longer off the grid for vacations — will again squeeze onto Atlanta roadways during rush hour.

Most metro area school districts will open their doors in early August, taking in more than 800,000 students, though more than one will have kids in their seats in July.

This is when school starts in 18 of the region’s largest districts:

Atlanta: Aug.  1 (details)

Buford: Aug. 2

Cherokee County: Aug. 1

Clayton County: Aug. 6

Cobb County: Aug. 1 (details)

Coweta County: Aug. 3

Decatur: Aug. 1

DeKalb County: Aug. 6 (details)

Douglas County: Aug. 8

Fayette County: Aug. 6

Forsyth County: Aug. 2

Fulton County: Aug. 6 (details)

Gwinnett County: Aug. 6 (details)

Hall County: Aug. 7

Henry County: July 30

Marietta: Aug. 2

Newton County: Aug. 1

Rockdale County: July 30

Related...

>>Confusion over changes to the law on stopping for school buses

>>New federal rules about seat belts on school buses

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

Follow Ty Tagami on facebookFollow Ty Tagami on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Students walk toward the Tate Student Center on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. State data released Tuesday shows that the rate of international students enrolling in Georgia’s public universities dropped dramatically this semester. (Jason Getz/AJC 2024)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

International student enrollment slows at Georgia universities

It is not yet clear if the slowdown in Georgia is an anomaly or a sign of things to come.

UGA to pay $100K H-1B visa fee only ‘in exceptional circumstances’

The University of Georgia could soon limit the number of foreign workers it employs, a result of the $100,000 fee imposed on some H-1B visas.

Atlanta parents, residents object to plans to close some schools

Due to lower enrollment and climbing costs, 16 school buildings would be repurposed under the plan, with several schools closing and their students rezoned for other schools.

The Latest

University of Georgia students are seen entering and leaving the main Library on the Athens campus on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

UGA to pay $100K H-1B visa fee only ‘in exceptional circumstances’

International student enrollment slows at Georgia universities

Atlanta parents, residents object to plans to close some schools

Featured

University of Georgia students are seen entering and leaving the main Library on the Athens campus on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

UGA to pay $100K H-1B visa fee only ‘in exceptional circumstances’

The University of Georgia could soon limit the number of foreign workers it employs, a result of the $100,000 fee imposed on some H-1B visas.

Georgia judges deal blow to ICE’s new mandatory detention policy

The ruling is a first-of-its-kind to come out of Georgia’s Middle District.

At the Cobb jail, a new kind of rehabilitation starts at the horse barn

Joshua Arp is one of two Cobb County jail detainees taking part of the sheriff’s office new equine therapy program meant to help him stay out of jail.

1h ago