Student Attendance – All In on Day 1!

Fulton County Schools wants every student “ALL IN ON DAY 1!” The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, and when students show up on the first day, they are more prepared, confident, and connected. Designed to set a positive tone and emphasize the importance of a strong start, this initiative supports the district’s ongoing focus on attendance, engagement, and success from the first day of school to the last.

School Calendar

The 2025-2026 school year calendar includes 177 instructional days and features a weeklong Fall Break from October 13-17 that provides students and staff a mid-semester pause similar to other neighboring school districts. In addition to Fall Break, students will have weeklong breaks for Thanksgiving (November 24-28), Winter Break (December 22 - January 2), and Spring Break (April 6-10). These periodic breaks give families and school staff time to refresh and recharge, while professional development and teacher workdays throughout the year provide valuable time for planning, professional development, and classroom management. Parents are encouraged to check the calendar regularly for updates and additional days schools will be closed (for example, November 4 – Election Day).

Electronic Communications Policy Change and Student Personal Devices

Fulton County Schools has updated its Electronic Communications Policy to reduce personal technology distractions in schools and support student well-being. The Fulton County Board of Education began these discussions in 2022 ahead of Georgia’s House Bill 340, the Distraction-Free Education Act, which went into law July 1. Fulton’s updated policy aligns with the law and states students in grades K-8 are not allowed to use personal electronic devices during the school day, while high school students face restrictions during instructional time. The policy also includes definitions of personal devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and laptops; provides guidance for schools to establish parent contact protocols during the day; and outlines exceptions for students with IEPs, 504 plans, or medical needs. It also clarifies rules for device use on school buses and details consequences for misuse. This Student Personal Devices webpage explains the policy changes, expectations for students, and FAQs for families.

Updated Student Code of Conduct

The 2025-2026 updates to the Student Code of Conduct address emerging challenges, clarify behavioral expectations, and ensure consistent disciplinary practices across schools. Key changes include prohibiting the distribution of tobacco and vape products (including e-cigarettes and Zyn), banning inappropriate physical contact with intimate areas regardless of intent, and restricting the misuse of AI or altered images that misrepresent others. The updates also refine the range of consequences, outlining clear Tier I to Tier III disciplinary responses with standardized escalation procedures in collaboration with the Office of Student Discipline.

AI Instructional Guidance and SchoolAI

Fulton County Schools recognizes the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and embraces this technology by teaching students to use it responsibly. To support this, the district is providing teachers comprehensive AI training across all grade levels. Building on the successful training implemented for grades 6-12 last school year, all elementary teachers and school leaders will complete AI training in 2025-2026. Additionally, middle and high school teachers are required to update their course syllabi with the district’s revised AI statement, which outlines the district’s commitment to responsible AI use in the classroom under instructor guidance. In addition, the district is introducing SchoolAI, a secure, education-focused artificial intelligence platform designed to help students, teachers, and staff work more efficiently and creatively while ensuring student data privacy. Students can use SchoolAI to enhance writing, learning, and problem-solving while teachers can use it to streamline feedback and personalize instruction.

Culture of Safety

Fulton County Schools promotes a strong “Culture of Safety” by combining people, tools, and preparation to protect students and staff. This includes a dedicated School Police Department and campus security personnel, safety training for staff, and strong community partnerships. The district uses advanced technology such as surveillance cameras, wearable alert systems, and weapons detection tools to enhance safety. Regular safety drills, anonymous tip lines, and threat assessment protocols ensure schools are prepared to respond to emergencies. Introduced last spring, FCS also added three specialized K9 officers trained in “vapor wake” detection for sniffing out concealed firearms and explosives. Together, these efforts create a safe, supportive environment for teaching and learning.

Student Device Protection Plan

Beginning this year, Fulton County Schools is offering a Student Device Protection Plan that covers repair or replacement costs due to accidental damage, loss, or theft. The plan is optional, paid annually, and costs significantly less than the replacement fee charged for a lost or damaged device. To participate, parents must enroll in the protection plan within 30 days of receiving their child’s device.

Internet Safety Tools

This fall, Fulton County Schools is introducing two new digital safety tools to enhance online protection for students. Parents will receive free access to Qustodio, a software that can be installed on FCS-issued and personal devices to help manage screen time, filter content, monitor activity, and receive alerts. Each parent will receive one license per student, and FCS will not have access to data from the app. Additionally, Linewize Content Aware will be activated on FCS-issued devices to detect and blur explicit or inappropriate images in real time, providing a safer and more effective digital learning environment.

Emergency Contacts for Students

Each year, parents are asked to review their student’s emergency contacts in Infinite Campus and make updates as needed. This ensures schools have accurate information to reach parents quickly in an emergency and allows parents to authorize other individuals to pick up their child when needed. To complete the requirement, parents should follow this step-by-step process in Infinite Campus.

School Breakfast and Lunch Meal Price Changes

School meal prices will see a modest increase for the 2025–2026 school year to help cover the rising cost of food and operational expenses. Even with this adjustment, meals continue to offer strong nutritional value at an affordable price. Breakfast will cost $1.45 for elementary students and $1.60 for middle and high school students while lunch will be $2.85 for elementary students and $3.10 for middle and high school students. Students who qualify for reduced-price meals will continue to receive both breakfast and lunch at no cost.