Back to School 2026-27 in Broward & Palm Beach: Dates, Tax-Free Shopping, and What It Means for Buyers

The countdown is on

If your summer still feels wide open, here is the reality check: Broward and Palm Beach County public schools both go back on Monday, August 10, 2026. That is sooner than most families realize, and a couple of the deadlines that matter most land before that first bell, not after.

As a South Florida agent, I get the school question constantly from families relocating here, because where you buy determines where your kids go, and the calendar determines how much runway you have to get settled. So here is the short, useful version for both counties, and then what all of it means if you happen to be buying or selling a home this summer.

The date everyone needs: August 10

Both districts run nearly identical calendars for 2026-27, which is a relief for the many families around here with kids, carpools, and sports that cross the county line.

The dates that matter most:

• First day: Monday, August 10, 2026, in both counties
• Thanksgiving break: the full week, November 23 to 27
• Winter break: December 21 to January 1, with students back January 5
• Spring break: March 22 to 26 in both counties
• Last day: May 28 in Broward, May 27 in Palm Beach

One thing every South Florida parent should keep in the back of their mind: both districts build up to five severe weather makeup days into the calendar. Hurricane season peaks between August and October, the school year opens right on the front edge of it, and if a storm closes campuses in the first month, those makeup days are how the districts protect the required 180 instructional days. Have a childcare backup plan for the first month. It has come up before.

The tax-free holiday moved. It starts before school now.

This is the part most families have not caught up to yet.

Florida's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday used to run the entire month of August. This year the state moved it. Governor DeSantis signed the change in June, and the 2026 holiday now runs July 20 through August 20. The point of the shift was to put the savings before the August 10 start instead of after it.

During the holiday you skip both the 6 percent state sales tax and your county surtax, so in most of Broward and Palm Beach that is roughly 7 percent off on:

• Clothing and footwear $100 or less per item
• School supplies $50 or less per item
• Computers and accessories $1,500 or less, for personal use

Smartphones are excluded, even though laptops qualify. Online orders count as long as the retailer accepts the order for immediate shipment during the window. The smart move is to buy the big-ticket items, the laptop and the bulk of the clothing, inside this window, because that is where the real dollars are. A single laptop near the cap saves you around $100 on its own.

The paperwork deadline with no grace period

Quick reminder for parents, because this one stops enrollment cold: Florida requires a current immunization record (Form DH 680) and a school entry physical (Form DH 3040) on file before day one. No paperwork, no start date.

The two that ambush families every year: kindergarten needs the full slate including MMR and chickenpox, and seventh grade requires the Tdap booster. If you are new to Florida, out-of-state records have to be transcribed onto the Florida form. Pediatric and health department appointments fill up fast in late July, so book now.

Parents need more than the dates. The full 2026-27 guide on The Friendly Scoop covers immunizations, physicals, transportation, meals, and a week-by-week countdown.

What this means if you're buying this summer

Here is where the calendar and the real estate market intersect, and it is the part families relocating to South Florida ask me about most.

You have less runway than you think. If you want to be in your new home and registered before August 10, and you are not already under contract, the timeline is tight. Closings take time, and registration requires proof of residency, usually two documents tied to your new address. Families who wait until August to get serious often end up registering mid-year or starting the year from a rental. If a specific school year start matters to you, the house decision has to move now.

School boundaries drive value here, and they are not obvious. In Broward and Palm Beach, two houses on the same street can feed into different schools, and a boundary line can carry real weight for family buyers. If schools are part of your decision, do not assume, verify the assigned school for the specific address before you fall in love with the house. This is exactly the kind of thing I check for clients before we ever write an offer.

The fall market has a rhythm. Families try to be settled by the school year, which front-loads a lot of family-buyer activity into late spring and summer. Once school starts, that particular pool of buyers thins out, which can shift negotiating leverage heading into the fall. Whether that helps you depends on which side of the deal you are on.

If you're selling a family-friendly home, the weeks before school starts are prime time to reach motivated family buyers, and your school assignment is a genuine selling point worth putting front and center in the listing.

The bottom line

Mark August 10. Shop the tax-free window between July 20 and August 20. Book the pediatrician this week. And if a move is anywhere on your horizon for this family, understand that the school calendar and the buying timeline are connected, the decision that gets you settled before the first bell is one you make in July, not August.

Thinking about a move and want to know which neighborhoods line up with the schools you want? That is one of my favorite questions to answer. Reach out anytime.

The Friendly Scoop, our South Florida lifestyle publication, has the full back-to-school guide with both district calendars, immunization details, bus and meal updates, and a week-by-week countdown. [Read the complete guide here.]

Chris Cusimano | Homes by Cusi | Keller Williams Realty Boca Raton