Palm Beach Students Gear Up: School Starts August 11 with Tax Break!

Palm Beach County, Florida, USA - As summer vacation comes to an end, students in Palm Beach County are preparing for a new school year. With the first day of classes kicking off on August 11, excitement and anticipation are palpable. This date marks the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year for most students across Florida, with a few counties starting classes slightly later.

Governor Ron DeSantis recently praised Duval County schools, introducing Education Secretary Anastasios Kamoutsasn at Oceanway Elementary School, emphasizing the bright future ahead for our educators and students reports the Palm Beach Post. This year, many Florida counties, including Palm Beach, are starting school on the earliest possible date allowed by law, which is August 11.

Holiday Sales and New Laws

One exciting aspect of back-to-school prep is the month-long sales tax holiday running from August 1 to August 31. This year’s initiative allows families to save on essential items such as book bags, clothing, and school supplies, making it a little lighter on the wallet. Items exempt from sales tax include:

• Book bags and clothes costing $100 or less
• School supplies costing $50 or less
• Educational tools costing $30 or less
• Computers and accessories costing $1,500 or less

A complete list of qualifying items can be found at Florida Revenue. This expanded sales tax holiday has now replaced the previous two-week duration, allowing families more time to shop for essential school supplies.

This school year also brings a host of new laws affecting education across Florida. With over 150 new regulations in play, significant changes include restrictions on cell phone usage, which are now largely prohibited during school hours, with specific exceptions for high school students. Elementary and middle school students are facing a strict „bell to bell“ ban unless previously documented reasons exist.

Furthermore, legislation now allows school districts to set their own start times, a change from a previous requirement mandating later start times for middle and high schools. A new law prohibits high schools from starting before 8:30 a.m. and middle schools before 8 a.m., effective starting the 2026-2027 school year. The goal is to better align school schedules with students‘ needs, and districts must now document the costs and consequences of their chosen schedules Yahoo News mentions.

Other Important Dates

In addition to the first day back to class on August 11, students and parents should also note upcoming school holidays in September, which include Labor Day on September 1 and a fall holiday on September 23. Notably, Lynn University will commence its academic year on August 17, while Palm Beach State College and Florida Atlantic University follow suit on August 25.

As summer draws to a close, the excitement is building for a fresh school year filled with new opportunities and adventures! Whether stocking up on school supplies during the sales tax holiday or learning about new laws that impact education, students and parents alike can feel the buzz in the air—the school year is right around the corner!