Families with students at Dunwoody High School and Chamblee Charter High School have one more stop before the 2026–27 school year begins: open house is Wednesday, July 29.

The DeKalb County School District announced the two-day schedule on its official account July 24. All DCSD high schools hold open house Wednesday, July 29. Elementary and middle schools follow Thursday, July 30. The first day of school is Monday, August 3.

The district has not published specific start times.

DCSD is directing families to contact their child's school directly for hours and any last-minute date changes.

What's new this year

Two new policies take effect when school starts August 3.

Phone-free classrooms. All DCSD schools are phone-free zones starting this school year, the district said in its July 27 weekly newsletter. Students must power off and store personal devices, including cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, and earbuds, for the entire school day. The policy builds on DCSD's "Disconnect to Reconnect" initiative, which began in 2024, and aligns with Georgia House Bill 1009, the Distraction-Free Education Act. The state law requires "bell-to-bell" restrictions on personal electronics for grades K–8 starting this year; grades 9–12 must comply by July 1, 2027. DCSD is applying the policy district-wide a year ahead of the high-school deadline. Exceptions apply for students whose IEP, Section 504 plan, or medical plan requires a device.

Visitor ID scanning. DCSD announced a new Visitor Management System on Monday, July 27. Under the new system, anyone entering a school campus will need to present a valid state-issued ID. The system scans the barcode, checks the visitor's name and date of birth against a nationwide database, and prints a badge that must be worn on campus. The district has not confirmed whether the system will be active for open house or will begin August 3. Families should bring a state-issued ID when visiting campus either way.