LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Thousands of Jefferson County Public Schools students headed back to the classroom Thursday, marking the start of the 2026-27 school year.
The first day brought busy school zones, packed sidewalks and buses rolling across Jefferson County as families settled back into their school year routines.
Unlike the transportation problems that overshadowed the district's first day of school in 2023, JCPS entered this school year with transportation expected to run much more smoothly after continued efforts to stabilize bus service and staffing.
Chief Operations Officer Rob Fulk said the district has more than 700 bus drivers this year and has moved to a new routing system. He added those drivers had been practicing routes prior to the first day and the times were looking promising.
Keith Kaiser visited several schools Thursday morning as students arrived, capturing excited children heading through the doors and teachers welcoming students back for another year.
The morning also served as a reminder for drivers to slow down in school zones, watch for children at crosswalks and bus stops, and stop for school buses displaying flashing red lights and extended stop arms.
For students, the first day means new teachers, new classmates and a fresh start. For parents, it's the return of early alarms, packed lunches and afternoon pickup lines as another school year gets underway.
The security team is fully staffed for JCPS this year. This means every middle and high school will be assigned its own school resource officer.
- Calendar:
- Start date: Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026
- Fall Break: Monday, Sept. 28, to Friday, Oct. 2
- Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday, Nov. 25, to Friday, Nov. 27
- Winter Break: Monday, Dec. 21, to Jan. 1, 2027
- Spring Break: Monday, Mar. 29, to Friday, Apr. 2
- Last day for students: Monday, May 24, 2027
- To view the district's full calendar, click here.
- To find your student's bus route, click here.
- To visit the district's back to school website, click here.
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