Three Colorado Springs school districts, three different first-day dates. Here's the quick-reference breakdown for the 2026–2027 school year, along with a few things to verify before your family's first morning.

District Start Dates at a Glance

District	First Day (Students)	Notes
D49 — Falcon School District 49	Aug. 3 (K, 6th, 9th grade) / Aug. 4 (all others)	Staggered two-day start
D11 — Colorado Springs School District 11	Aug. 12	—
D20 — Academy School District 20	Aug. 17–18	Aug. 13 is staff/PD day — students don't start until Aug. 17

D49 — Falcon School District 49

D49 is first and starts this weekend. Kindergarteners, 6th graders, and 9th graders — students entering a new school building for the first time — start Monday, August 3. All other D49 students start Tuesday, August 4. The staggered schedule gives transition-year students a lower-pressure first day before the full student population arrives.

D11 — Colorado Springs School District 11

D11 starts August 12. That's 10 days after D49's opening day, giving D11 families a bit more runway. This week, the D11 board of education meets Tuesday, August 5, to vote on whether to place a $775 million bond measure on the November ballot — so the district is in the news ahead of the first day for reasons beyond the school calendar.

D20 — Academy School District 20

D20 students start August 17–18. One important date to note: August 13 is a staff and professional development day for D20. That date has circulated online as the first day of school, but students don't start until August 17. The official D20 calendar at asd20.org confirms the student start date.

Before the First Day — What to Confirm

Regardless of which district you're in, a few things are worth double-checking before the first morning:

• Supply list — completed and packed
• Emergency contacts — updated in your school's system
• Transportation — bus route confirmed, especially if it changed from last year
• School start and end times — many schools adjust these slightly year to year
• Drop-off and pick-up location — some schools have specific designated areas

Each district's website has the most current school-specific information: d49.org, d11.org, and asd20.org.

What's Next

D49 goes first — this Monday. D11 follows in 10 days, and D20 families have about two weeks. If you're still working through the back-to-school checklist, this week is the window. After D49's first day Monday, the back-to-school season in Colorado Springs will officially be underway.