Back to School 2026: Start Dates for Mobile, Baldwin and Surrounding Area Schools
Summer break is winding down across South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, with public and private school students returning to class on staggered dates between late July and mid-August.
Summer is coming to a close, and students across the region are getting ready to head back to the classroom for the 2026-2027 school year. Public school systems, Catholic diocesan schools and a wide range of private and Christian academies across Mobile, Baldwin and neighboring counties, as well as parts of the Florida Panhandle, are opening their doors on a staggered schedule that stretches from late July into the middle of August.
Families juggling multiple children in different school systems, or moving between districts, often find the exact start date varies significantly even between schools in the same city, so district and school websites remain the best source for exact schedules, orientation days and supply lists. Below is a roundup of publicly announced start dates for the area.
Mobile County
Mobile County Public Schools begins Aug. 10. Mobile County Catholic Schools and Cottage Hill Christian Academy both start Aug. 12, as does St. Paul’s Episcopal School. Faith Academy opens Aug. 13, while Mobile Christian School gets an earlier start on Aug. 6. Revelation Christian Academy begins Aug. 10, UMS-Wright Preparatory School and Bright Academy start Aug. 12 and Aug. 11 respectively, St. Luke’s Episcopal School opens Aug. 13, and ACCEL Academy has the earliest start in the county on Aug. 3.
Baldwin County
Baldwin County Public Schools, Baldwin County Catholic Schools, Bayside Academy, Central Christian School, Baldwin Preparatory Academy and St. James Episcopal School all begin Aug. 12. Bayshore Christian School starts a day later on Aug. 13. South Baldwin Christian Academy has one of the earliest starts in the county at Aug. 5, and Orange Beach City Schools opens Aug. 6.
Escambia, Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh and Greene Counties
In Escambia County, Alabama, public schools start Aug. 10, Escambia Academy opens Aug. 12, and Atmore Christian School begins earlier on Aug. 5. Washington County Public Schools starts Aug. 12. In Clarke County, the county school district opens Aug. 6, Jackson Academy also starts Aug. 6, and Clarke Preparatory School begins later on Aug. 14. Monroe County Public Schools opens Aug. 6, with Monroe Academy starting Aug. 14. Conecuh County Public Schools begins Aug. 5, and George County, Mississippi, schools kicked off the earliest of the group on July 31. Greene County Public Schools also opens Aug. 5.
Florida Panhandle Counties
Across the state line, Escambia County, Florida, public schools begin Aug. 12, while Escambia County Catholic Schools start Aug. 10. A number of private and Christian schools in the Pensacola area have varying start dates, including Pensacola Private School of Liberal Arts and Pensacola Learning Academy on Aug. 5 and Aug. 3 respectively, Alethia Christian Academy on Aug. 3, East Hill Christian School and East Hill Academy on Aug. 12 and Aug. 17, and Montessori School of Pensacola on Aug. 10. Santa Rosa County Public Schools, Santa Rosa County Catholic Schools and Santa Rosa Christian School all begin Aug. 10, while St. Francis Classical Academy and High Road School of Santa Rosa open later. Okaloosa County Public Schools begins Aug. 11, with a number of area private schools, including Global Beacon School and Calvary Christian Academy, opening between Aug. 5 and Aug. 11.
Immunization Records
Alabama requires students enrolling in school to have a state Certificate of Immunization, commonly called the “blue slip,” on file. Florida schools require a comparable Florida Certification of Immunization, form DH 680. Both can be obtained from a child’s physician or local health department.
