Will Florida students get to sleep in this upcoming school year?
Most of the state goes back to school on Monday, leaving only this upcoming weekend to buy any remaining school supplies and rest up before hitting the books again.
A 2023 change to Florida statutes required middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools to begin their instructional day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The law was supposed to take effect on July 1, 2026, but is it still going to?
Buy last-minute school supplies on Amazon Prime
Will Florida see later start times in the 2026-2027 school year?
It was originally planned to.
However, last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on a law to roll back the previous legislation, but local school officials warned the changes would create logistical nightmares. Feedback revealed that implementing the change could cost districts a lot to buy new buses and hire more, already hard-to-find bus drivers, since many bus routes currently complete middle and high school routes before picking up elementary school students.
The change could also disrupt the timing of parental and guardian transportation and child care, and cause scheduling issues with students’ after-school activities.
Under the new law, the ordered later start times will not be enforced, but instead gives school districts authority to decide start times.
When can school start in Florida for the 2026-2027 school year?
Florida law prohibits schools from starting any earlier than Aug. 10. For the 2025-2026 school year, Aug. 10 falls on a Monday.
When does school start in Florida for the 2026-2027 school year?
Thirty-eight of Florida’s 67 counties will start the 2026-2027 school year on the earliest possible date, Monday, Aug. 10. The latest start date in Florida, for three counties, is Thursday, Aug. 13.
See breakdown by county on when the 2026-2027 Florida school year will start:
Special note: Links to school calendars often change. Here’s a state list of homepages for each Florida school district.
How many days of school are required in Florida?
Florida districts must have at least 180 school days for students.
Districts try to get roughly 90 instructional days in each semester and aim to finish the first semester before winter break, the St. Johns County School District said.
Get ready for back-to-school with tax-free shopping in Florida
Tax-free shopping is a state-wide policy in Florida, so all stores are waiving the 6% added state-tax until Thursday, Aug. 20. Here are some places to do your tax-free shopping ahead of the 2026-27 school year:
Top stores for all-around back-to-school shopping
Top stores for back-to-school supplies
Shop back-to-school supplies
Top stores for back-to-school tech
Top stores for back-to-school clothes
Shop back-to-school clothes
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Most Florida schools return Monday. Will later start times begin?
Reporting by Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
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By Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
