ALBANY, N.Y. (WCAX/WWNY) – The Lunar New Year closed public school districts across New York on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
The New York State Education Department says a law signed in September 2023 prohibits school districts from holding sessions on the Lunar New Year.
However, it didn’t impact the academic calendar until the 2024-2025 school year.
The NYSED says the Lunar New Year holiday does not count toward the 180-day minimum that public schools must be in session each year and if it falls on a weekend, schools are not required to honor it on the Friday or Monday wrapping that weekend.
School districts are also not allowed to schedule staff training days on the holiday, according to NYSED.