Education

Most Douglas County Students Head Back to School Monday

Thousands of Douglas County students head back to class Monday, Aug. 31, as schools in Roseburg, Glide, Sutherlin, South Umpqua and several other districts begin the 2026-27 school year.

Roseburg High School in Roseburg, Oregon. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - For thousands of Douglas County students, summer break ends Sunday night.

A large second wave of local schools will begin the 2026-27 school year Monday, Aug. 31, bringing more school buses, students and morning traffic back to communities across the county.

Camas Valley Community Charter School, Glide School District, North Douglas School District, Oakland School District, Riddle School District, South Umpqua School District and Sutherlin School District all have students returning Monday. District calendars identify Aug. 31 as the beginning of student instruction.

Reedsport School District also begins Monday. Its 2026-27 calendar lists Aug. 31 as the first day of school for students in Reedsport.

Roseburg Uses Staggered Start

Roseburg Public Schools will begin the year with a staggered schedule.

Students in grades 1 through 5, sixth grade and ninth grade begin Monday, Aug. 31. Students in grades 7 and 8 and grades 10 through 12 begin Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Kindergarten students will have a soft start, with schedules varying by school. Families are encouraged to check with their individual elementary school for details.

Roseburg Schools also says basic school supplies are being provided for students in kindergarten through fifth grade this year. Those students are asked to bring a backpack, wired headphones or earbuds and tissues.

Some Yoncalla Students Also Start Monday

Yoncalla School District began its school year Aug. 24, but Monday marks another milestone for its youngest students.

Kindergarten students will have their first full day of school Aug. 31 following a soft-start schedule last week. Preschool students also begin Monday.

Days Creek, Elkton, Glendale and Winston-Dillard were among the other Douglas County districts that began classes Aug. 24.

School Buses and School Zones Return

With many more students returning Monday, drivers should expect increased traffic around schools, additional school buses on local roads and children walking or waiting near bus stops.

Under Oregon driving rules, flashing amber lights on a school bus mean the bus is preparing to stop and drivers should prepare to stop as well. When the bus displays flashing red lights, motorists must stop and remain stopped until the red lights are turned off.

On a divided highway where the directions of travel are separated by an unpaved median or barrier, traffic traveling in the opposite direction is not required to stop. A painted median or center turn lane does not count as a divided highway, meaning traffic in both directions must stop for a school bus displaying flashing red lights.

Drivers should also watch for school-zone signs. Oregon school speed zones have a 20 mph speed limit when the conditions listed on the signs apply, including when lights are flashing, during designated school-day hours or when children are present.

Monday's return will bring most Douglas County school districts into the 2026-27 academic year, with Roseburg's remaining students joining them Tuesday.

2026-27 School District Calendars

Families can find the full 2026-27 school-year calendars for Douglas County school districts below: