New York public schools are getting an extra-long winter break this year—here's why
Good news for NYC public school students: Next winter's holiday break just got a little longer, and a lot less confusing.
In an update to the 2025–2026 public school calendar, the Department of Education officially gave students and staff Friday, January 2, off, extending winter recess through the entire week. The original calendar had classes resuming that Friday, making for a lone, awkward school day between New Year's Day and the weekend. Students will return on Monday, January 5, making for a much cleaner (and cheerier) break.
'We got it done! Friday, January 2, is now part of winter break,' the United Federation of Teachers texted to its members last week, according to New York Daily News, which first broke the story. A DOE spokesperson confirmed the change.
It's not the first time that city leadership has stepped in to dodge a one-day week. Last December, Mayor Eric Adams pulled a similar move, declaring Monday, December 23, 2024, a day off after a Brooklyn eighth grader's petition went viral and racked up more than 20,000 signatures. This time, the change was made early, avoiding the last-minute scramble that puzzled many schools and families last year.
The change means kids will enjoy a 12-day break in total, plenty of time for sledding in Prospect Park, checking out the holiday windows on Fifth Avenue or taking in the New York Botanical Garden's annual train show without worrying about Friday homework.
Of course, with the school calendar already stretched by added holidays like Diwali and state-mandated minimums for instructional days, the move doesn't come without trade-offs. For now, the city has opted to avoid tacking on an extra day next June by repurposing teacher training days.
Winter break isn't the only thing changing for New York City students next year. A citywide smartphone ban is coming, which will see schools enforcing new rules around phone use during the day. So, while students may get an extra day to scroll TikTok at home this January, their phone freedom will now end at the schoolhouse door.
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