New York City families have a little extra summer this year. Public-school students return on Thursday, September 10, several days later than the city’s usual early-September start. The 2026–27 school year runs through June 28, giving families a later opening day without shortening the full academic calendar.
The September 10 start comes from the negotiated calendar between New York City Public Schools and the United Federation of Teachers. School staff report on September 8 and 9 for two workdays before students arrive. The calendar still has to meet New York State’s requirement for 180 instructional and professional-development days.
Getting back to school may also look a little different on the streets outside some buildings. New York City opened its 2026 Open Streets season with more than 150 locations across the five boroughs, including School Streets near public schools. At participating locations, selected blocks close temporarily to vehicle traffic during parts of the school day. That gives schools room for recess, outdoor classes and assemblies while also creating more space during busy pickup and dismissal periods.
Parents looking ahead to high school have another new piece of information to consider. Brooklyn Latin School ranked first in New York and No. 73 nationally in the 2026–27 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings, making it the only New York school in the national top 100. The Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Long Island City and Harlem Village Academy West Charter School also placed among the state’s top five.
This year’s rankings are slightly harder to compare with previous editions because New York AP data were unavailable. Two college-coursework measures representing 40 percent of the score relied on IB participation and performance. For families planning the year ahead, the rankings are one more reference alongside admissions requirements, programs, location and the day-to-day fit of a school.
