Summer in Miami goes faster than anyone expects, and at some point every family with kids flips into pre-school-year mode. Getting your child ready for the school year in Broward or Miami-Dade means juggling medical deadlines, tax windows, transportation rules, and a new phone law that a lot of parents only find out about in September. Here's what actually matters and what's worth handling ahead of time.
When School Starts
The two counties are on different calendars this year, and the gap is enough to matter for families with kids in schools on both sides.
Broward (BCPS) starts classes on Monday, August 10, 2026 — a full five-day week from day one, no easing in. Miami-Dade (MDCPS) opens on Thursday, August 13, with a gentler two-day start designed to help younger kids adjust before the first full week hits.
A practical note. Start shifting your kid's bedtime and wake-up at least ten days before the first day, about fifteen minutes earlier each day. If they've been falling asleep at midnight all summer, the first school week with a seven a.m. alarm turns into a marathon of tears for the whole family. Do it gradually and the problem takes care of itself.
Sales Tax Holiday: Where the State Gives You a Break
Florida runs its annual Sales Tax Holiday from July 20 to August 20, and the categories and price caps are set by the state.
Computers, tablets, and accessories — up to $1,500 per item. That includes routers, keyboards, and non-gaming software. Mobile phones and gaming consoles are excluded.
Clothing, shoes, uniforms, and backpacks — up to $100 per item.
School supplies — up to $50 per item.
Educational games and puzzles — up to $30 per item.
One practical detail that saves both time and money. Don't rush to buy school supplies in the first days of the sale. Teachers send out their Supply List during the first week of August with specific requirements down to folder colors. You'll still have over a week of the tax holiday left to grab exactly what your teacher asks for without paying extra.
Medical Forms: Three Documents Without Which Your Child Won't Be Let Into Class
Florida's medical protocol is strict. If the forms aren't in the school's system by the first day, your child isn't allowed into the classroom — this scenario plays out for dozens of families every August.
Immunization certificate, form DH 680. Your pediatrician maintains this in the state's electronic system, Florida SHOTS. When your child moves into seventh grade, a Tdap booster (whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus) becomes mandatory. Without that entry, the system won't generate the middle-school form, and you'll hit a wall a week before classes start.
School physical, form DH 3040, known as the "yellow form." Required for every child entering Florida schools for the first time. The exam has to be done on U.S. soil no more than twelve months before the school year starts — a physical brought from another country stops working here.
Religious exemption, form DH 681. Filed in person at your county's Department of Health (DOH) if you're opting out of vaccines on religious grounds. You can't get this form online.
A small tip that pays off. Ask your pediatrician for your child's personal Florida SHOTS PIN. With it, you can download and print the certified DH 680 from home, skipping the clinic line during that August week when every parent in the county is storming it at once.
HB 1105: The New Phone Rules in Schools
Florida's new HB 1105 law takes effect this school year, changing how phones and gadgets work in schools. Worth knowing before the first week so nothing catches you off guard.
For PreK through 8th grade, personal phones, smartwatches, and headphones have to be turned off (or in airplane mode) and stored in backpacks throughout the school day. That includes recess and lunch — no use allowed during either.
For grades 9–12, the rule loosens up: devices are permitted only with direct teacher approval and only for classroom purposes. In Broward, high schoolers keep the option of using phones during the lunch break.
Here's what happens if the rule gets broken. Administration confiscates the device. It's returned only to a parent in person, signed for, during specific hours. The school takes no responsibility for the safekeeping of expensive gadgets while they're held. For reaching your child during the day, the school office's official phone number becomes the main channel again — the same setup that always existed, now the default one.
Transportation: Buses, Apps, and the City Card
School buses are provided free of charge to students who live more than two miles from their assigned school. The rule sounds straightforward, but the details differ between counties.
In Broward, the Register2Ride program requires advance registration. If you didn't submit an application by the end of June, a seat on the bus during the first week of school isn't guaranteed. For tracking bus movement, the Here Comes the Bus app is worth downloading — the Broward code is 87599.
In Miami-Dade, you can check bus eligibility without an account on dot.dadeschools.net using their distance map. For high schoolers taking public transit, there's the K-12 EASY Card at a 50% discount: rides on Metrobus and Metrorail run $1.10 per trip.
The Takeaway
Back-to-school prep only looks like an endless list at first glance. In reality, it breaks down into five clear blocks — dates, money, medical, phones, and transportation. Each one takes an evening if you handle it calmly and ahead of time. By September, the only task left is waking your child up on time. Everything else is already running on its own.
