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:

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Children in the Head Start program play outside with lead teacher Genesis Lavanway at the Arthur M. Blank Early Learning Center. It's one of the Head Start programs in Georgia that may not receive its annual funding on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. A bridge loan from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will keep the programs running for another 45 days. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

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Peggy Harris (foreground) stocks the shelves at Sandy's IGA, which is the only grocery store in town, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Sparta. Hancock County has one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in the country. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC