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What is Extended School Year Service? 

Often referred to as ESY, it is a service offered by the school district to children who qualify under at least one of the several factors. The ESY program must be in accordance to standards of the State Educational Agency and follow a child's IEP.  These specially designed instruction services must be based on scientific research based instruction not kids testing out the program. They are focused on working with current IEP goals and not teaching new skills.  It isn't summer school or an enrichment program. Transportation is also included and it's usually a half day program.

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What is the criteria kids must qualify under? 

Kids diagnosed with a disability who regresses academically, socially and/or something specific in your child's IEP during an extended period of time. The following criteria are as follows:

• Regression: A measurable decrease in skills or behaviors that occur as a result of interruption in educational programming.

• Recoupment: The capacity of the student to recover the skills or behavioral patterns to a level demonstrated prior to the interruption of the school year. This includes social skills. It must be relevant to the IEP goals. High school students can take a little longer to get back up to speed than much younger students.

• Mastery: If the mastery the student has demonstrated or behavior around that goal will be disrupted during the summer break. The student needs to maintain the skills.

• Self-Sufficiency and Independence: The behavior or skill is crucial for the student to meet IEP goals independently from caregivers.

• Successive Interruptions:  To the extend that the disruption of summer break would result in the student's withdrawl from the learning process.

• Severity of Disability: Severity includes Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder, serious emotional disturbance, severe intellectual disability, several multiple disabilities and degenerative impairments with mental health.

 

What does ESY Services Look Like?

They are not quite the same services and instructional program the student gets during the school year. There is some flexibility by the IEP team members in figuring out what ESY services might be needed. One example could be teachers supplying materials to parents with the teacher monitoring the progress.

The IEP team need to come together to discuss ESY services, where the services will take place, and how  progress will be measured and reported should be included in the student’s IEP.

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What doesn't qualify for ESY?

It isn't a desire or respite care or day care services. It's not based upon a desire for a summer recreation program or the need for a educational benefit program.

Action Tips for Parents

• Parents can get a copy of any ESY guidelines issued by theschool district and/or state. Most states have policies or guidelines regarding ESY. These should be made available to you upon request. Clarify any questions or concerns with the school.

• Here is a link the PA state ESY guidelines.
  PATTAN has also create PA State guidelines of ESY services. You can download a free copy from their website.

• ​Don’t wait too long to bring up the need for ESY services. A decision needs to be made by February 28th and a NOREP sent to the parent by March 31st. A parent can bring it up after these dates. However if the school hasn't brought it up or doesn't seem receptive to it, you can request an IEP meeting specifically for the purpose of determining ESY eligibility for your child. Be sure to put this request in writing to the school principal or the school district special education director. Specify the purpose of the meeting and request the school personnel who know your child best should attend the IEP team meeting. Submit progress reports from other therapists outside the school district to demonstrate a need. If the parent/school ever goes to Due Process, it could look unfavorable if the parent has turned down ESY services offered in the past.

• Create list of reasons why you believe your child is eligible for ESY services and bring them to the IEP team meeting.

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How do I know if my child qualifies for ESY?

• Has your child regressed? Does your school district test your child throughout the year? Or does the school district test your child after winter break to determine regression?

• Does the child recover skills or behavior patterns after regression has occurred?

• Will the child have difficulty if he/she mastered important skills or behaviors right before the break? Will the educational programming break disrupt this progress?

• Will the educational break affect self-sufficiency and independence from caregivers that is crucial for the child to meet the IEP goals.

• Will successive interruptions from school result in the student's withdrawal from learning.

• Does the child have a severe disability like autism/ intellectual disability, severe emotional disturbance, etc?

• Does the child have medical or other agency reports indicating degenerative-type difficulties which have a tendency to be exacerbated during long breaks?

• How do test results, curriculum based assessments and other measures compare during the winter break?

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Has your child been denied ESY services and you are concerned about regression of skills, please click on the following link to review your options.

 

If parents disagree with the ESY recommendation, the parents will be afforded an automatically expedited due process hearing:

1. Resolution meeting within 7 days of ESY complaint

2. Hearing will be held within 20 days of ESY complaint

3. Decision within 10 days after hearing.

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