There are many themes to focus on when we pray to encourage children in school. 

We can: 

• Say general prayers for the start of the school year. 
• Pray to mark milestones in our children’s educational journeys, such as that important first day of school. 
• Ask Jesus to help our kids with their schoolwork. 
• Pray for our children transitioning from elementary school to high school. 
• Ask God and the Holy Spirit for guidance as our teenagers finish school and begin college. 
• Say a prayer to help our children make good friends.
• Ask for wisdom for our teachers and administrators to guide them to educate.
  

There are many ways we can ask Jesus to help our children balance their learning and faith. Younger children might even want to listen to Bible stories for extra guidance. 

The first prayer we’ve chosen is a general, back to school prayer, asking our Heavenly Father to start the new school year positively:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for holiday times when we have freedom to spend quality time with family and friends and to take a break from the daily routine of school and curriculum based work. Thank You for the fun times we have all enjoyed, and now that we are about to start a new term at school, we pray that You would continue to be with us, to help and encourage in all we say and do.

Help us to settle back into the daily routine of school work and give us a heart that desires to learn, a brain that is able to retain what is needful and the ability to dismiss that which is not edifying or necessary for health or wholeness.

Fill our hearts and minds with Your truth and light, and hold us steady in the palm of Your hand as You have promised. Keep us from every sort of danger throughout each day, and may we seek to love You more and serve You better with every passing day. In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen. [Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-School] 

Whether you’re praying with your family or for your family, here are some additional prayers you can use. These prayers can help children who are anxious about their first day of school or those transitioning to high school and college. 

Prayer for a new day

O God, you who make things new, again and again, enliven the thoughts of my mind, revitalize the cells of my body, and cause a fresh outburst of praise to surge in my heart so that I might taste the Life that is truly life this day. In the name of the one whose face is like the shining sun. Amen.

Prayers for teenagers starting high school and college

O Lord, you who promise to be with me always, be with me this day as I begin my schoolwork. Keep me in health, I pray, and keep me from harm. In all that I do and say, may I love you with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and may I love my neighbor as myself, so that I might fulfill your purposes for me and your calling on my life as a student. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Prayers for teachers and parents 

A good prayer for children who are homeschooling is:

Dear Jesus, you who promise to be with me always, I pray that you would be with me at home today as I do my schoolwork. Please help me to do my best, help me not to feel alone, and help me to be patient with my family. Give me joy this day, and thank you for loving me from head to toe. In your name. Amen.

A prayer for teachers: 

O Lord, you who have called and equipped the teachers in our community, we pray for them today. Watch over them, provide for them, guide them, sustain them. May you be their sun and shield, so that they might do the work that you have entrusted to them and sense your care in these uncertain times. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer for safety from physical and spiritual harm

Use the following prayer to keep your child safe at school:

Thank you, Lord, that you have redeemed ______ and called him/her by name. He/She is Yours! When______ passes through the waters — through ups and downs and struggles and suffering, through disappointments and betrayals and bullies and pressures, through insecurities and fears and temptations and heartbreak — be with him/her! When he/she passes through the rivers, do not let them sweep over him/her. When he/she walks through the fire, do not let him/her be burned. May ______ take refuge in YOU and be glad. Let him/her ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over my boy/girl, that he/she may rejoice in you! (Isaiah 43:1-2, Psalm 5:11)

These powerful prayers were chosen because they help us mark the beginning of the school year as well as significant milestones in our children’s educational and faith journeys. You can start with a prayer for a new day (before school), prayers for our children’s safety, and prayers for educators. 

Titus tells us: 

“In everything, set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7).

In these uncertain times, we must pray for our children’s safety over each school day. We should be praying for our teachers and school administrators tasked with caring for our children so that they may educate our children using faith. 

Prayer can help our children balance their learning with their relationship with Jesus Christ. Our goal here is to bring all our students, teachers, and parents closer to God by asking for His help at the commencement of the school year.

Don’t forget to download the pray.com app — for daily prayer, bedtime Bible stories, and more — in the Google Play and Apple Store.