ESY Overview

• What are ESY services?  

Extended School Year (ESY) services are special education and related services that are provided to students with disabilities beyond the normal school year. The purpose of ESY services is to maintain existing skills/knowledge and to prevent severe regression of the skills/knowledge acquired during the regular school year.  

• Who are ESY services for?  

ESY services are available to any student on an IEP ages 3-21, regardless of disability category, whose IEP team determines to be eligible for ESY as an aspect of FAPE in order to prevent significant regression during breaks from school.

• When is ESY eligibility determined?  

Eligibility for ESY must be considered annually for every student on an IEP, aged 3-21.  

• Who decides whether or not a student is eligible for ESY?  

The student's IEP team determines whether or not a student is eligible for ESY. Likewise, if a student is determined to be eligible for ESY, the IEP team must determine the type/amount/frequency/duration of services necessary to prevent severe regression.

• How is ESY eligibility determined?  

To determine whether or not a student is eligible for ESY, the IEP team should follow the ESY Decision Flow Chart. If the team determines that a student may be at significant jeopardy of losing the educational benefit accrued to them during the school year, the team needs to attend an ESY data workshop to receive support diving deeper into the data. 

Click here for more information about determining eligibility for ESY.