Public schools in Indian River County open Monday, Aug. 10, for the 2026-2027 school year, with high schools starting at 7:20 a.m., middle school K-8 schools at 8:10 a.m., and elementary schools at 9 a.m. Some students will be walking to bus stops in the dark on a daily basis as the days grow shorter, particularly students who meet the bus at the stop near State Road 60 and Rollins Ranch Road, scheduled for 5:51 a.m., according to Dr. Kyra Schafte, executive director of the school district's strategic communications and marketing.
The School District and Indian River County Sheriff's Office urge all parents, students, and motorists to be cautious and observe rules and laws pertaining to school bus safety. Sheriff Eric Flowers said in a video posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page that all schools are changing and there will be new challenges with drop-offs, pickups, and buses. He asked parents to be patient during drop-off periods as new students entering the schools are entering through metal detectors.
At multi-lane paved roads without a raised median or physical barrier, vehicles traveling in both directions must stop when a school bus is stopped to pick up or discharge children. The same rule applies to two-lane paved roads. As of May 1, Florida began issuing citations for illegal passing of a stopped school bus with stop arm extended and red lights flashing, with a $225 fine for the offense. For a second or subsequent offense within five years, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles may suspend a driver's license for 90 days up to six months.
Parents who drive their children to bus stops should park a safe distance away from buses during both morning pickup and afternoon drop-off to help maintain clear visibility and safe loading areas, Schafte said. Families should remind students to wait until the school bus has come to a complete stop and the stop arm is fully extended before approaching or crossing the street. Transportation details are available on the Indian River County schools webpage at www.indianriverschools.org/o/sdirc/page/transportation, as well as the district's Facebook and Instagram accounts.