Where was the teacher's union when it came to planning the following year's schedule? Generally, states set the minimum number of days that schools must be in session. Personally, I find the schedules slightly annoying in NY, compared to nearby PA (I student taught there.) Both states start at about the same time, and have school for the same number of days, but NY spreads their days out over about 3 more weeks. Unfortunately, because of this, NY gets out well after summer sessions have started at most universities, limiting the availability of courses you can take. I can't count the number of incredible opportunities I've had to turn down because the first week (or two) overlapped with final exams in NY. (Opportunity to work at Fermi-lab was one (or was it Brookhaven? Might have been Brookhaven), an opportunity for a program at Arizona State...)
Not to mention, every time there's a 3-day weekend, the students are usually "meh" on the Friday before, and are twice as "meh" on the Tuesday they return. Ditto before longer breaks (Easter, Spring, Winter (Xmas)) - elementary schools often have little parties for the students before major holidays. That spills over to the high school with students having an expectation of a party or some type of "we're not going to do work today, right? It's the last day before break." I used to love to schedule tests for that day, but it's a pita when a student is absent, then has to make up the test after the break - it results in me spending a lot of extra time working with one or two students to make sure they're refreshed on the material, then having them take the test.
(I can hear some of you thinking right now, "tough shit - if the student was absent, it's their fault. If they need to review, that's their problem." Unlike other states apparently, our annual performance appraisal accounts for student results - it's MY responsibility (as much as theirs) to make sure they've learned the material.
Anyway, if it were up to me, okay, you can have the week off between Christmas and New Years. And, Th/Fri off for Thanksgiving. And, Good Friday, Memorial Day, MLK, President's Day, Veteran's Day, and that's plenty.