Information on Extended School Year Services for students with disabilities is available on the TEA website. There is also information on The Legal Framework for the Child Centered Process.
- What are Extended School Year (ESY) Services?
- How do I know if my child needs ESY Services?
- I thought only students with autism could get ESY Services. Can students with other types of disabilities qualify for ESY Services?
- Our school district has a “one size fits all” ESY program that is not appropriate for my child. Are there other ESY services options for my child?
- What if my child needs to receive speech and occupational therapy during the breaks?
- What is considered a “critical skill”?
- I want my child to work on addition, subtraction, and reading this summer. Can they do that in ESY?
- Should my child have IEP Goals and Objectives that will be worked on in ESY?
- We have already had my child’s annual ARD committee meeting and ESY Services were not mentioned. What should I do?
- The school told me that my child does not qualify for ESY Services. What can I do if I disagree with that decision?
1. What are Extended School Year (ESY) Services?
ESY is an individualized instructional program for eligible students with disabilities that provides services beyond the regular school year. The need for these services is determined by the ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal) committee on an individual basis. ESY services are not a substitute for daycare, camp or babysitting for the family.
2. How do I know if my child needs ESY Services?
If a student with a disability has trouble retaining skills during school holidays and/or the summer break, and requires significant time to regain mastered skills, then the ARD committee should discuss whether the student needs extended education and/or related services during school breaks. Regression and recoupment must be based on documented evidence, or if there is no documented evidence, on predictions according to the judgment of the ARD Committee.
3. I thought only students with autism could get ESY Services. Can students with other types of disabilities qualify for ESY Services?
Yes. The school district may NOT limit ESY Services to any particular category of disability.
4. Our school district has a “one size fits all” ESY program that is not appropriate for my child. Are there other ESY services options for my child?
Yes. There should be other options. The school district is not allowed to limit the type, amount, or duration of ESY services. ESY Services need to meet the individual needs of each individual student.
5. What if my child needs to receive speech and occupational therapy during the breaks?
If the ARD committee determines that ESY services are needed in those areas in order to prevent regression and/or loss of critical skills, then those therapies should be included in the ESY Services.
6. What is considered a “critical skill”?
A skill is considered “critical” when the loss of that skill results, or is reasonably expected to result, in:
- placement in a more restrictive setting,
- significant loss of acquired skills necessary to make appropriate progress in the general education curriculum,
- significant loss of self-help skills proven by an increase in the number of direct service staff and the amount of time required to provide special education or related services,
- loss of access to community-based independent living skills instruction or an independent living environment provided by noneducational sources, or
- loss of access to on-the-job training or productive employment as a result of regression in skill
.
7. I want my child to work on addition, subtraction, and reading this summer. Can they do that in ESY?
The district will provide ESY Services to maintain the student’s current skills and/or behavior, but not to teach new skills or behaviors.
8. Should my child have IEP Goals and Objectives that will be worked on in ESY?
Yes, the ARD Committee should determine which goals and/or objectives are critical skills that need to be worked on during ESY.
9. We have already had my child’s annual ARD committee meeting and ESY Services were not mentioned. What should I do?
If the district did not propose ESY Services for discussion at the student’s annual review of the student’s IEP, you may request an ARD committee meeting to discuss ESY Services.
10. The school told me that my child does not qualify for ESY Services. What can I do if I disagree with that decision?
The need for, or lack of need for ESY Services must be documented from formal and/or informal evaluations provided by the district or the parents. The school must have data/information to support their decision. If you feel that your child needs ESY Services in order to receive a free and appropriate education, and the school says that he/she does not qualify, then you should check “disagree”. The school must offer to recess the ARD committee meeting for no more than 10 school days. During the recess, you and the rest of the ARD committee members must gather more data, work on documentation, and maybe get other people involved. If you cannot come to an agreement at the ARD committee meeting, and you still feel your child needs ESY Services, then you should check “disagree”. The reasons for your disagreement must be stated in the IEP. You may write your own statement about the disagreement, if you choose. For further information on resolving disputes, please see Dispute Resolution Process overview or The Special Education Dispute Resolution Systems Handbook created by the Texas Education Agency.
