Recently, SED has posted two updates on their website regarding school calendar/attendance issues that have been generating much discussion in the field.
1) According to SED, this year school districts are allowed to schedule a single Superintendent’s Conference Day on Monday June 26, 2017, if doing so is necessary to avoid falling below the 180 days of session required. This is a change from previous years when districts were not allowed to schedule a Superintendent's Conference Day after the June Regents Examination period. It should be noted that the maximum number of Superintendent's Conference Days has not changed. It remains at four.
https://stateaid.nysed.gov/attendance/sched_superintendents_conf_day_june_2017.htm
2) SED has also posted an advisory document stating that scheduled half days do not count toward the required 180 days of session. We have contacted SED about this document. They have informed us that this is not a change in policy or anything new, rather it is simply a clarification of current policy.
https://stateaid.nysed.gov/attendance/sched_halfdays_180_days_of_session.htm
This information from these postings has also been included in SED's guidance document on Attendance/School Calendar issues.
https://stateaid.nysed.gov/attendance/attendance_memo.htm