Big changes for New York public schools this year: the 2025-2026 calendar is packing in even more days off. Kids and teachers will now score holidays for Diwali (Oct. 20), Lunar New Year (Feb. 17), and Eid al-Adha (May 26)—meaning even more surprise “long weekends” parents didn’t exactly ask for.
Some moms and dads are groaning (“another day off right after MLK Day?!”), but school leaders say it’s about representation and celebrating the state’s diverse cultures.
Of course, with all these extra breaks, the school year keeps creeping deeper into June. High schools usually wrap up mid-month, but some elementary kids went straight to the bitter end of June last year.
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