As the 2026-27 school year approaches, there are several things parents should be aware of to make sure that their child’s return to the classroom goes smoothly.
Read more Suspect charged with murder after fatal Deerfield Beach shooting, BSO says
In South Florida, schools in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties open during the second week of August.
Here is NBC6’s back-to-school checklist.
Uniforms
Each county, and the schools within those counties, has its own policy when it comes to uniforms.
Parents are urged to check their child’s school for the uniform policy it provides.
Supplies
Starting on July 20, there will be a tax holiday for school supplies such as backpacks, pencils, composition books and even computers.
The tax holiday will run until Aug. 20.
Bus Information
Miami-Dade: A child who is attending their designated home/residence school and lives more than two miles from the school will be eligible for transportation.
This does not apply to magnet school students or students who are going to a school that’s not their designated home/residence school
For more information on Miami-Dade’s bus information, click .
Broward County: New students need an assigned ID before registering to ride.
The registration deadline has already passed, and any new registrations will be routed in the order it was received.
Monroe County: Pre-registration is not required for public school transportation, but students will need to complete a bus pass that is given by the AM and PM bus driver or school officials.
Palm Beach County: Students will need to register with the Transportation Department, and parents will need to complete registration to make sure their child is assigned to a bus.
Read more Man arrested after 3 shot, including 2-year-old, in BMW in NW Miami-Dade, cops say
Students will need to have their ID when registering.
For more information, click here.
Lunch
Miami-Dade: School breakfast and lunch at Miami-Dade public schools are free to students, and there is no need to apply to participate in the program.
Broward County: School officials in 2024 announced that for the 2025 school year, not all students will be able to eat lunch for free.
Free lunches and reduced-price lunches will still be available for those who are eligible by applying through the website MySchoolApps.
In June, Broward County Public Schools announced its participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal program that allows schools in low-income areas to provide free breakfast and lunch for registered students without needing an application.
Monroe County: Applications for free and reduced lunch for students in Monroe County will open on Aug. 1.
For more information, click here
Palm Beach County: Starting on Aug. 10, meal costs will be different for each school.
While most schools will offer free breakfast and lunch for all students, payment will be required at others.
Families are able to submit an application for free and reduced-priced meals.
To find out which schools will have free breakfast and lunch and which schools will require payment, click here.
Read more Man arrested after shooting brother during argument in Plantation, cops say