D20 First Full Week in Session: COS Families Wrap Up the Back-to-School Week
For Academy District 20 families, this week was the real beginning. After a staggered start that split the district's return across two days, D20 is now in full swing — and today is Thursday of the first complete week.
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Advertise hereHow D20's Start Worked This Year
D20 used a staggered first day of school for the 2026–2027 year. Kindergarteners, 6th graders, and 9th graders — students entering new school buildings or making the transition to a new level — started on Monday, August 17. All remaining students joined Tuesday, August 18.
The staggered approach is intentional: it gives students making a school transition — from elementary to middle, middle to high school — a day to learn the building and meet teachers before the full student body arrives. It's a common back-to-school strategy among larger Colorado districts.
COS is Fully Back
D20's start means all three major Colorado Springs school districts are now in session.
- D49 (Falcon School District 49): Students returned August 3 and 4
- D11 (Colorado Springs School District 11): All students returned August 12
- D20 (Academy District 20): Staggered start August 17–18
If you have kids in multiple districts — which is more common in COS than people assume, especially for families near district boundary lines — you may have had three separate first days spread across most of August.
Resources for D20 Families
D20 serves approximately 28,000 students across more than 45 schools in the northern Colorado Springs area. For families navigating the start of year, the district's main resource hub is at d20.org — that's where you'll find school calendars, transportation information, meal program details, and parent communication tools.
Each D20 school also has its own parent-teacher organization or advisory council, which is one of the best ways to stay connected to what's happening at the building level throughout the year.
What's Next
The weekend is here — and after a week of early alarms and school-day logistics, families in all three COS districts have earned a good one. Check our weekend guide for things to do with kids in Colorado Springs August 21–23 — including a free family event at Bear Creek Nature Center on Saturday.
D20's full academic calendar for 2026–2027, including upcoming school holidays and late-start days, is available at d20.org.
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