When you think about AT&T Stadium, you probably picture game days, the roar of a crowd, and the Cowboys or Rangers dominating the scoreboard. But on the morning of Saturday, August 1, 2026, the stadium opens its doors for something that matters just as much to Arlington families: getting kids ready for school.

The 12th Annual AISD Back to School Kickoff returns to AT&T Stadium this summer, offering every student enrolled in an Arlington ISD school a free backpack filled with age-appropriate school supplies, plus dental and health screenings, haircuts from Career + Technical Center students, and connections to after-school resources and community programs.

What Families Can Expect

The event is free for enrolled AISD students. Each student receives a new backpack with school supplies matched to their grade level. On-site, families can also access dental and health screenings, haircuts provided by students from the Arlington ISD Career + Technical Center, and vendors with information on after-school care and other services families often spend weeks trying to locate on their own.

Community organizations with tables at the event include ACH Child and Family Services, the Arlington Public Library, Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, among others. For families new to Arlington or new to a particular school, this is one of the most practical ways to get connected before the first bell rings.

Note that the AT&T Stadium bag policy will be enforced at the event. Plan accordingly when you pack up for the morning.

The Coalition Behind the Kickoff

This event doesn't happen without a wide base of community investment. The AISD Back to School Kickoff is co-organized by Arlington ISD, the Churches of Arlington, the Arlington NAACP, the Junior League of Arlington, The Salvation Army North Texas Youth Education Town, and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation.

That's a coalition that crosses religious institutions, civic organizations, civil rights advocacy, and private philanthropy. The breadth of it reflects something true about Arlington: when the city decides something matters for its kids, it shows up in force. This event has run for 12 years because the community keeps choosing to fund it, staff it, and show up for it.

Volunteers Still Needed Before July 30

If you're 18 or older and want to be part of making this happen, volunteer sign-up is open now through Thursday, July 30 at 5 p.m. The organizers are counting on community volunteers to help the event run smoothly for hundreds of Arlington families moving through the stadium that morning.

Events like this one don't run on budgets alone. They run on people who decide to give a few hours of a Saturday morning so that a kid shows up to the first day of school with what they need. That's as Dream City as it gets.

Sign up to volunteer or learn more about the AISD Back to School Kickoff, and mark your calendar for August 1 at AT&T Stadium.