School Calendars for the 2011-12 School Year: No Session on Jan. 2, 2012
Monday January 2, 2012 is a legal holiday on which school districts should not be in session. As a legal holiday, January 2, 2012 will not be counted as a day of session toward the required 180 days of session.
Explanation: As a condition of the apportionment of State funds, pursuant to NYS Education Law §3604 8, "No school shall be in session on a Saturday or a legal holiday, except general election day, Washington's birthday and Lincoln's birthday, and except that driver education classes may be conducted on a Saturday."
Pursuant to NYS General Construction Law §24, if a legal holiday such as New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the next day becomes the legal holiday. Therefore, school districts should not be in session on January 2, 2012.
School districts should consult with their school attorneys about consequences under other laws, such as the Civil Service Law, if they were to operate on a legal holiday.