How We Create the New York City Public Schools Calendar

Each year, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) publishes our annual school calendar, which is used by all non-charter NYC public schools.

We design the calendar to meet federal, state, and local legal and educational requirements and to support the diverse needs of our students, families, and staff members. We seek input from our internal, external, and union partners.

The school calendar is built around three key factors:

The First and Last Day of School

According to New York State (NYS) Education Law and our staff contracts, our school year must:

  • Start after Labor Day in September
  • End before the second to last weekday in June

The Length of the School Year

New York State law also requires all school districts to be in session for a minimum of 180 days each school year. Three types of days count towards this requirement:

  • Student attendance days, when students attend classes and receive instruction. This includes remote instruction days.
  • Chancellor's Conference Days for staff training and professional development. Students do not attend school on these days. Our school calendars have an average of three Chancellor's Conference Days each school year.
  • Regents Examination Days, when middle and high schools administer NYS exams. Regents Exam Days are school days; however, to ensure schools can properly administer exams, students in grades 7–12 may have modified schedules on these dates. Schools will notify families of any changes.

Meeting the 180-day requirement ensures that our schools receive essential State funding.

Because Chancellor's Conference and Regents Examination days legally count toward the 180-day minimum, the final number of student attendance days may be fewer than 180.

Holidays and Recesses

Holidays

When NYCPS observes a holiday, school buildings are closed and students do not attend.

We observe three types of holidays when they fall on a weekday during the school year:

  • Federal holidays designated by the US Congress
  • New York State holidays set by our State legislature
  • NYCPS holidays established by New York City Council or included in our employee contracts

In addition, when federal holidays fall on a Sunday, we observe them the following Monday.

Chancellor's Regulation C-606 and Chancellor's Regulation A-630 allow staff members and students to request time off for religious observances.

Recesses

Schools are closed each year for:

  • Winter recess in December and January
  • Midwinter recess in February
  • Spring recess in March or April

We align our recesses with federal, state, and city holidays so families, communities, and staff members can spend quality time with their loved ones.

See this year's school calendar for a list of the days when schools are closed.

Professional Development and Other Administrative Days

In addition to holidays and recesses, schools may be closed for students for specific administrative purposes. This includes Chancellor's Conference Days, Regents Examination Days, and parent-teacher conference half-days, which count towards the State's 180-day instructional requirement. In addition, schools may close for Clerical Days.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

The NYCPS Calendar includes Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) dates for students in all grade levels and districts. These dates are chosen so families can receive progress updates from their child's teachers throughout the school year.

Students in certain grades are dismissed early on some of these dates. PTC dates may differ from school to school, so check with your school to find out when these meetings will be.

Clerical Days

Clerical Days take place at the end of the term or school year. On these days, staff members complete the annual reorganization of schools. Students in some grades may not be required to attend school.

Exceptions to the Citywide Calendar

While all NYCPS schools use the citywide calendar, schools may request minor, site-specific changes to their schedules. These changes require a formal approval process called a School-Based Option (SBO). Families will be notified of any changes to the citywide calendar in advance.

For these changes to be approved, schools must still meet the total minimum annual instructional day requirements for their students.

Charter Schools

Charter schools follow their own calendars. Check with your child's specific charter school to confirm their key dates. Visit Charter Schools for more information.