Back To School: What You Need To Know

Mark the First Day of School

Palm Beach County public school students return on Monday, August 10, 2026. The district calendar also includes several school holidays and breaks throughout the year, so parents should add the full calendar to their phones rather than noting only the first day.

Private schools follow their own calendars, and starting dates can vary considerably. Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton has student orientations on August 17 and 18, followed by the first day of classes on August 19. Pine Crest School uses a staggered return, with different grades beginning between August 18 and August 20. These are just a couple of the private schools in Palm Beach County, so be sure to research yours and note important dates in your calendar. 

For families with children attending different schools, this can create a gap of a week or more between start dates. It can also mean that Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break, teacher workdays, and the last day of school do not line up. Download each child's school calendar and enter the following dates into one shared family calendar. Having the entire year in one place can prevent scheduling problems later.

What Palm Beach County Public School Parents Should Check

Public school families should begin by confirming that registration, school assignment, emergency contacts, and health records are complete.

Children must be at least five years old by September 1, 2026, to register for kindergarten in Palm Beach County public schools. Families who recently moved should also confirm the documents needed to prove residency and complete registration.

Parents should review their school's website for grade specific supply lists, open house dates, aftercare registration, dismissal procedures, and any required online forms. Middle and high school students may not receive every final detail until schedules are released, so it helps to avoid buying specialized supplies until teachers confirm what is needed.

Complete Health and Medical Forms Early

Medical paperwork is one of the easiest back to school tasks to leave until the final week.

Students initially entering a Florida school generally need a school entry health examination completed within the year before enrollment. Florida also uses Form DH 680 to document required immunizations. These requirements can apply to students entering public and private schools.

Students entering seventh grade have an added Tdap requirement. Palm Beach County also states that students entering kindergarten, seventh grade, or registering in the county for the first time must provide the required health documentation.

Depending on your child's needs and activities, the school may request more information. Check expiration dates on inhalers, EpiPens, and other medication that will remain at school. Ask whether separate medication is needed for the nurse, classroom, sports department, bus, or aftercare program.

Take Advantage of Florida's Tax-Free Period

Florida's 2026 Back to School Sales Tax Holiday runs from July 20 through August 20.

During this period, qualifying clothing, shoes, backpacks, and certain bags priced at $100 or less per item are exempt from sales tax. Certain school supplies priced at $50 or less, learning aids priced at $30 or less, and personal computers and certain accessories priced at $1,500 or less may also qualify.

This can be especially useful for families purchasing several uniforms, shoes, backpacks, calculators, tablets, or laptops. Not every back to school item qualifies, and the price limit generally applies to each item rather than the total transaction. Here are a few spots as well that are offering back to school deals for school supplies, and other items needed for school.

Target

Target is holding a weeklong back to school savings event from July 26 through August 1. Announced offers include:

• Up to 30% off children's clothing
• 25% off children's shoes
• 30% off uniform polos and dresses
• 20% off certain backpacks and lunch items
• 20% off certain hydration products

Target's current back to school section also advertises savings of up to 60% on select school supplies, with some basic supplies priced as low as 25 cents. Target also allows shoppers to search for school supply lists by school and grade through its online back to school section. This can help parents avoid buying the wrong type of notebook, folder, or classroom item.

Walmart

Walmart says its 2026 campaign includes its lowest prices since 2019 on 14 commonly purchased school supplies. Its back to school section includes supplies, backpacks, uniforms, lunch gear, clothing, and technology organized by grade level.

Walmart may be a good place to compare prices on bulk basics such as crayons, glue sticks, pencils, binders, and paper, especially for families buying for several children.

Office Depot and OfficeMax

Office Depot and OfficeMax are advertising hundreds of school supplies priced under $3, along with current promotions on backpacks, calculators, writing supplies, and other school items. Their school supply section is divided by age group, from prekindergarten through high school, which can make it easier to shop for several grade levels at once.

Review Transportation and the Daily Schedule

A school may appear close on a map, but morning traffic can make the drive much longer. This is especially important for private school families traveling between Delray Beach, Gulf Stream, Boca Raton, Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, and other parts of the county.

Before school starts, drive the route at approximately the same time you will travel on a normal weekday. Check the morning arrival window, afternoon dismissal procedure, car line rules, bus stops, and aftercare pickup location.

Allow added time during the first week. New families are learning procedures, parking areas are busier, and car lines often take longer until everyone settles into a routine. For households with children at different schools, writing out a full morning and afternoon schedule will make transitions go much smoother. Include school drop offs, work, sports, tutoring, aftercare, and pickup times. A schedule that looks manageable on paper may feel very different once Palm Beach County traffic is added.

Ease Back Into the School Routine

Back to school preparation is not only about forms and shopping. Some children are excited to return. Others may feel nervous about a new teacher, changing classes, a larger campus, harder work, or making friends. Even students returning to the same school may need time to settle back in.

During the final week of summer:

• Move bedtime slightly earlier each night.
• Begin waking up closer to the school schedule.
• Practice the morning routine.
• Decide where backpacks and shoes will be kept.
• Prepare a few simple breakfast and lunch options.
• Talk through drop off and pickup plans.
• Leave the first few evenings relatively open.

For younger children, explain exactly what the first morning will look like. For older students, discuss schedules, homework, phone rules, sports, transportation, and how they can ask for help. Helping ease the transition from summer into school will make it less of a struggle once this new routine begins. 

How School Plans Affect a Palm Beach County Move

For many families, school decisions and housing decisions are closely connected. Public school families should consider assigned schools, transportation, aftercare, and the daily commute. Private school families have more freedom regarding school boundaries, but the drive between home, school, work, and activities can have a major effect on family life.

When considering a move, test the route during actual school traffic. Look at the full weekday schedule rather than distance alone. A home that is a few miles closer to school can save meaningful time over the course of a year. The right location will depend on where the children attend school, where the adults work, and how the family spends its afternoons and weekends.

Enjoy the Final Days of Summer

The weeks before school can quickly become a race to complete forms, buy uniforms, find supplies, organize carpools, and reset routines.

But the summer months go fast. Before the alarms, homework, practices, and packed calendars return, make time for a few more beach mornings, pool days, family dinners, and slow evenings at home. This will help you savor the last moments of summer before it goes away. A new school year brings new teachers, friendships, goals, interests, and opportunities. Getting prepared will make the transition easier, but so will taking a moment to appreciate where your family is right now.

Enjoy the last stretch of summer and look forward to the next chapter as Palm Beach County students head back to school.