Provides schools the option to operate one hundred eighty days of instruction or the equivalent number of hours of pupil instruction

This bill allows New York public schools to operate with a flexible schedule of 180 days of instruction or the equivalent in hours, rather than requiring exactly 180 days. It amends state education law to replace the fixed day requirement with a flexible hour-based standard, ensuring schools maintain the same total instructional time while saving costs on energy, transportation, and staffing. The change applies to all public schools seeking operational flexibility, particularly benefiting rural and financially strained districts facing budget challenges. Schools must still meet the mandated instructional hours after public review, and state aid eligibility remains tied to this requirement.