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D11 First Day Is Tuesday, August 12 — 4-Day Countdown for Colorado Springs Families

By Sarah Morales, Staff Reporter
Published August 8, 2026
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Colorado Springs District 11 families have four days before school begins. Tuesday, August 12 is the first day of the 2026-27 school year for most D11 students — and there are a few things worth knowing before the weekend is over.

The week starts a day earlier for some students. Monday, August 11 is Jump Start Day for Kindergarteners, 6th graders, and 9th graders — a shorter orientation session designed to help students transitioning into a new school year or a new building. Jump Start Day lets those students meet their teachers, find their classrooms, and get oriented before the full school population arrives Tuesday morning.

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Quick Reference: COS Back-to-School Calendar

  • D49: Already in school — started August 3-4, 2026
  • D11 Jump Start Day: Monday, August 11 (Kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade)
  • D11 First Day (all students): Tuesday, August 12
  • D20 First Day: Monday, August 17 (Preschool, elementary, 6th grade, 9th grade); Tuesday, August 18 (all other grades)

Enrollment Is Still Open

If your family has not yet completed enrollment for the 2026-27 school year, there is still time. D11 enrollment is available online at d11.org. Families can also enroll in person at the D11 District Support Services building at 1033 N. Franklin Street, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Students who are enrolled but have not yet confirmed transportation, meal accounts, or parent portal access should take care of those steps this weekend. Enrollment confirmation, bus assignments, and payment platform setup are all handled through the D11 parent portal at d11.org.

Free School Supplies on the First Day

Every K-8 student in D11 will receive a free, grade-specific school supply kit on August 12 through the district's partnership with Edukit. The kits are distributed at school and require no prior sign-up or ordering. Families do not need to bring anything or register in advance — the kits are included for all K-8 students as part of D11's back-to-school support.

The Edukit kits are designed to cover standard supply needs by grade level. District officials have noted that the kits do not replace individual teacher supply lists — teachers may still request specific additional items. Families should check their school's communication channels for any classroom-specific requests.

The $775M Bond Passed — What It Means for D11 Schools

Colorado Springs families heading into the school year can also note that the D11 Board of Education recently voted to place a $775 million bond measure on the November 2026 ballot. The bond would fund HVAC upgrades, safety improvements, and facility modernization across every D11 school, with an average building age of 58 years and an identified maintenance backlog of over $422 million.

The bond vote itself is in November — it will be Colorado Springs voters, not the board, who decide whether it passes. More details about the bond are available at d11.org/bond.

What's Next

D11's first day is Tuesday, August 12. The district's back-to-school hub is live at d11.org/administration/schools/backtoschool with resources covering enrollment, transportation, meal accounts, and school calendars.

District 20 families have another week before school begins — D20's first day is August 17 for preschool, elementary, 6th grade, and 9th grade students, and August 18 for all other grades. More information is at asd20.org.


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