Back-to-School 2017: Dates and Details for Tampa Bay Families

Back-to-school

Don’t look now, but back-to-school 2017 is underway in the Tampa Bay area! I can see the panic in your eyes. Summer seems shorter than ever these days, and the start of school may leave you with lots of questions.

When is the first day of school again?

Where do the kids catch the bus?

What about school lunch menus? Can I pre-pay for their lunches?

Never fear, for we at the Tampa Bay Moms Blog are here to help. We’ve compiled back-to-school information for Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee, and Sarasota counties from each district website. You’ll find links to calendars and some other handy information that will help you and your young students prepare for that all-important first day of school. Let’s get planning!

All Counties

Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is Friday, August 4 through Sunday, August 6. The great news is that computers are back on the list of items eligible to be purchased tax-free for back-to-school 2017! For tips on how to tackle your back-to-school shopping list, check out this post on last year’s sales tax holiday.

Hillsborough County

  • District Website: http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/
  • First Day of School: August 10
  • Last Day of School: May 25
  • Download the Hillsborough schools 2017-18 calendar here.
  • Early release days continue this year in Hillsborough County, with students dismissed one hour early each Monday of the school year.
  • New this year: Presidents Day, February 19, 2018, is not a student holiday in Hillsborough County.
  • The district website also offers a back-to-school guide with information on enrollment, bus routes, bell schedules, pre-paid lunch accounts, and more.

Pinellas County

Polk County

Pasco County

Hernando County

Citrus County

Manatee County

Sarasota County

Talk to Us!

That’s our county-by-county overview of back-to-school, Tampa Bay style. If you have other resources to add to our list, let us know in the comments. Happy Back-to-School 2017, moms and dads!

Kathy K
Kathy’s family moved to Tampa when she was 5, and aside from a few years at the University of Florida (Go Gators!), she’s never lived anywhere else. She’s Irish by heritage, Greek by marriage, and mom to one brilliant little boy. She’s an avid sports fan and lived her Disney-geek dream as a member of the 2015 Disney Parks Moms Panel. A former TV producer and PR pro, Kathy now proudly sports the title of stay-at-home mom. Follow her sports-loving, Disneyfied, Tampa-centric antics on Twitter @kathyk671.