El superintendente Dr. Bryan Johnson y la Junta de Educación de Atlanta dan la bienvenida a todos los estudiantes y familias de APS a la escuela.
Superintendent Johnson and the Atlanta Board of Education welcome all APS students and families back to school. #dayone #backtoschool #aps #apsexcellence
Photo Slideshow of images from the first week of the APS 2025-2026 school year. APS ©
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students returned to classrooms on August 4 for Day One of the 2025-2026 school year. The opening week included campus visits from APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson and Atlanta Board of Education members who welcomed students and encouraged their excitement for a new year.
Preparation for the year started with programs like the PowerUp APS! summer program and the Back-to-School Festival, as well as extensive facility work to ensure students entered classrooms ready to learn in a safe, well-supported environment.
Several new initiatives, programs, and resources have been implemented to enrich the student educational experience. Take a look at what’s in store for students and families this year:
1) Academic indicators are trending upward. According to the Georgia Department of Education, APS students in grades three through eight posted year-over-year gains in all tested subjects on the 2024-2025 Georgia Milestones assessment, including a 3.4-point rise in Math and a 5.9-point increase in Science. Math scores returned to pre-pandemic levels, and improvements outpaced the state in most areas. Gains were recorded across all student subgroups, including English learners and students with disabilities.
2) Teacher salary raises with room for growth. APS hired 180 new teachers and raised salaries for educators by 11 percent, bringing starting pay to around $61,000. The goal is to increase the average teacher salary to $100,000 by 2030. Bus drivers, custodians, and paraprofessionals also received a 10 percent raise.
3) Continuing measures to keep schools focused and secure are at the forefront. APS is enforcing its Personal Electronic Device policy, requiring students to keep devices off and out of sight during the school day, including lunch. Exceptions will be made for emergencies or with administrative approval.
4) New student support services are rolling out. Talk It Out is now available and is a free and confidential text line for grades six through twelve that connects students to licensed mental health counselors 24 hours a day.
5) The Student and Family Support Hub will continue its partnership with Goodr. The Atlanta-based company, focusing on sustainable food waste management and hunger relief, opened a Goodr Grocery Store in The Hub last November and will continue operations this year. The Hub will further its support by hosting a monthly food distribution for students and their families on the last Saturday of each month.
Lunchtime on Day One at Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy for the 2025-2026 school year. APS ©
6) Changes are coming to cafeterias. In September, Nutrition Services will introduce à la carte options that meet USDA Smart Snacks guidelines and a “Made to Order” deli bar at high schools. Menus and nutrition information are available through the MealViewer app.
7) The APS Police Department is expanding its role beyond enforcement. Initiatives this year include Gang Resistance Education and Training, a new Police Intervention Specialist to guide restorative practices, RAPTOR visitor management screening, and the Centegix personal alert system for staff. Officers will also participate in Books & Badges, an initiative where they read social-emotional learning books in classrooms to build relationships with students.
The new year looks promising with the combination of higher pay, expanded student support, enhanced safety measures, and rising academic performance. Welcome back, APS!
2025 Back-to-School Festival photo recap. Photo credit: Brianna Mason, APS ©
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) welcomed over 8,000 families to the Back-to-School Festival at Lakewood Stadium on Saturday, August 2, 2025. The outdoor celebration, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, was designed exclusively for APS families as a festive beginning to the new school year.
Families received a school supply kit and had access to over 40 vendors offering on-site health services, including vision, dental, and eye screenings, physicals, and haircuts. Face painting and children’s activities were also available.
The APS Physical Education Department coordinated games, including musical chairs, tug-of-war, and line dancing, while the APS Nutrition Department distributed free food samples and water.
2025 Back-to-School Festival. Photo credit: Brianna Mason, APS ©
Attendees enjoyed live entertainment from the Carver High School Mighty Marching Panthers Band and Drumline, V-103, and DJ Tay, as well as swag bags and other giveaways.
APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson spoke to the families, stressing the district’s focus on student wellness, connection, and academic support.
“We know that when families feel supported and students feel seen, meaningful learning follows,” Dr. Johnson said. “That work doesn’t begin and end in the classroom. It shows up in events like this and reinforces our shared commitment: One district. One goal. Every child.”
The festival followed a day of districtwide open house events, during which elementary, middle, and high school students visited classrooms, connected with teachers, and gained valuable transportation and classroom information and procedures.
Classes officially began on Monday, August 4.
Join your host, Bri, as she walks you through all that’s been going on and about to happen around Atlanta Public Schools. This week includes Student Advisory Council Orientation, Day 1, meeting the new Superintendent, and more!
APS superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson welcomed all back to school on his first official Day One.
APS is prepared to welcome students to school on Day One.
The Atlanta Board of Education Welcome Back to Day One.
Photo recap slideshow of Atlanta Public School’s Day One (first day of school) for the 2024-2025 school year. Photo credits: Simeon Kelley and Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
As the doors of Atlanta Public Schools (APS) swung open on August 1, thousands of students were greeted by educators eager to launch the 2024-2025 school year.
APS took great pride in ensuring its facilities, staff and students were prepared for Day One. From the PowerUp APS summer programs to the 10th Annual Back to School Bash, the tone for the year ahead has been set with the goal of executing an enriching, safe and successful school year.
This year’s fresh start kicked off with outgoing interim superintendent Danielle S. Battle, incoming superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson, and several board members visiting schools and staff to bring greetings from the district.
Beginning at the Lakewood Bus Depot, they waved to a sea of bus drivers and monitors as they departed one by one to begin their routes.
The students at Garden Hills Elementary School and David T. Howard Middle School were their next stops, where they visited several classrooms and met with students and teachers.
APS incoming superintendent Bryan Johnson and outgoing interim superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle visit a music class at Garden Hills Elementary School. Photo credit: Simeon Kelley, APS ©
The classroom visits were perhaps the most important part of the day’s activities, as they aligned with Dr. Johnson’s 100-day plan to experience each APS school first-hand and gain insight into the needs of the students.
He restated his commitment to this later that day during a media roundtable at Sylvan Hills Middle School, where he also shared that literacy and Social Emotional Learning would be at the forefront of the district’s priorities for the year.
“Literacy will be a focus,” Dr. Johnson said. “There’s been an investment [from the board] in social-emotional learning. So making sure that we can provide the supports and resources that students need in order to be successful will obviously be a focus.”
Students at Booker T. Washington High School and B.E.S.T. Academy at The Thomas W. Dortch Jr. Institute filled the halls and classrooms, eager to expand their knowledge base.
APS superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson and Booker T. Washington High School 9th grade student Javier Lopez discussing an assignment in Ms. Sarah Hobbs’ Advanced Algebra class. Photo credit: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Both schools were bustling with teaching and learning as Dr. Battle and Dr. Johnson visited classrooms.
With the added bonus of innovative programs, resources, and initiatives, APS is poised to continue producing growth and gains in student achievement and reading proficiency this school year.
“When we talk about literacy, we talk about the child’s ability to speak, to listen, to write, to comprehend the entire component,” Dr. Johnson said. “It’s bigger than just being able to read and recall words. That will be a critical area that we will double down on. Our board has already made the investment, and we will continue to move that one forward.”
Dr. Johnson officially assumes his duties as superintendent August 5.
APS is off to an incredible start to the school year as the district welcomed back over 36,000 scholars on Day One with that number expected to rise significantly over the coming weeks. Every school received a visit from senior district leadership.
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