GRAND RAPIDS, MI – As the days get shorter and West Michigan beachgoers brush off the sand, teachers review lesson plans, organize supplies and decorate classrooms in preparation for the return of students.

Monday, Aug. 18 is the first day of school for the 2025-26 academic year for some Kent and Ottawa County public school districts, including Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS), the largest district in the area.

Some schools will welcome students back later in the week on Aug. 19, 20 and 21, while a handful will start the week of Aug. 25.

Of the 31 school districts across the Kent and Ottawa Intermediate School Districts, only two start the year after Labor Day, on Sept. 2, even though Michigan law requires schools start after Labor Day.

Comstock Park Public Schools and Grand Haven

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