Families in the Everett Public Schools district can start penciling in September 2 as the first day of school for students in grades 1 through 12.

Kindergartners would follow a week later, on Tuesday, September 8.

The district posted the anticipated dates on Monday, June 22, to give families time to arrange childcare, travel, and back-to-school shopping. But the dates carry a caveat: they are not final.

The official student calendar is subject to collective bargaining between the district and its employee unions, a process expected to conclude in July. Under the current contract language, the school year begins the Wednesday before Labor Day. In 2026, Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7, which places that Wednesday on September 2.

Kindergarten starts a week after older students to ease the transition for the district's youngest learners, according to the district's FAQ page.

Scheduled breaks, holidays, and conference days are also part of bargaining and will be set at the same time.

The district has indicated it will share the confirmed calendar with families and staff once negotiations are complete. Families can check everettsd.org/district-calendar for updates.

Everett Public Schools, led by Superintendent Ian Saltzman, serves roughly 20,700 students across 27 schools in Everett, Mill Creek, and parts of unincorporated Snohomish County.

On the district's Facebook page, several parents urged the district to push the start date to after Labor Day. Others, including a teacher, argued the pre-Labor Day start preserves instructional time and supports a longer mid-year break in February.