Changes To Reorganizational Meeting Scheduling Requirements And Other Upcoming Calendar Issues For School Districts

A recent amendment to the Education Law will allow school districts more flexibility in preparing for and scheduling their annual reorganizational board meeting in July each year. Specifically, on November 21, 2025, the Governor signed Chapter Law 515, which amends several sections of the Education Law applicable to central, union free, and city school districts in the State.

Previously, for union free and central school districts, Education Law § 1707 required that school boards hold their annual reorganization meeting on the first Tuesday in July, unless such date was a legal holiday, in which case the board of education was required to conduct the reorganizational meeting on the first Wednesday in July. The law also permitted union free and central school districts to set a different date for the reorganizational meeting by resolution of the board, so long as the meeting was held in the first fifteen days in the month of July. For city school districts, Education Law § 2504 required such districts to hold the reorganizational meeting “during the first week” in July.

The new law amends both Education Law § 1707 and § 2504, and provides for uniformity for union free, central, and city school districts. With the amendments, school districts may now schedule and hold their reorganizational meeting any time between July 1 and “on or before the Monday after the twentieth day in July”.

School districts will therefore see substantial flexibility in planning their reorganizational meetings starting in July 2026, as the Monday after the twentieth day in July 2026 will be Monday, July 27, 2026, giving central and union free school districts an additional twelve days of availability for their reorganizational meeting, and city school districts an additional twenty days of availability.

Additionally, school districts preparing the school calendar for the 2026-27 school year should keep in mind another item of importance regarding holidays for that school year. For 2027, the holidays of Lunar New Year and Juneteenth will both fall on a Saturday.

Importantly, for both of these holidays, the law does not require that these holidays be observed when falling on a Saturday. Districts should therefore be mindful of these dates when preparing for 2026-27, and should review collectively bargained language regarding these holidays and obligations for pay for employees for such holidays.

In particular, some collective bargaining agreements may contain language including both Juneteenth and Lunar New Year as paid holidays for employees, but may not address whether or not employees will receive pay for the holiday when it is not observed in the school calendar. The specific language of the collective bargaining agreement will be important in interpreting this issue.

As districts begin preparations for creating the school calendar for 2026-27, our office will be happy to assist with any questions that may arise during that process.