Extended School Year (ESY): What It Is, What It Isn’t, and Why It Matters
By Christine Levy
As we approach the summer months, one topic consistently comes up in conversations with families: Extended School Year (ESY) services. There is often confusion about what ESY actually is, who qualifies, and how decisions are made. In this blog, we break down a way that empowers families to advocate effectively.
What ESY Is
Extended School Year services are not summer school. ESY is a provision under special education law designed to prevent significant regression of critical skills in students with disabilities.
The purpose is very specific:
To ensure a student does not lose essential skills to the point that recoupment (regaining those skills) is difficult or takes an unreasonable amount of time.
ESY is about maintaining progress, not making new gains, although meaningful instruction should still occur.
What ESY Is Not
Let’s be clear about common misconceptions:
ESY is not based on working parent schedules
ESY is not automatic for all students with IEPs
ESY is not the same as general education summer programs
ESY is not supposed to be a “watered-down” version of services
If a student requires specialized, explicit instruction during the school year, that need doesn’t disappear in the summer.
How Teams Should Determine ESY
Decisions around ESY should be data-driven, not based on opinion or convenience.
Key factors include:
Regression/Recoupment Data: Does the student lose skills during breaks? How long does it take to regain them?
Rate of Progress: Is the student making slow progress, even with appropriate interventions?
Critical Skill Areas: Are the skills essential for independence (e.g., reading, communication, behavior)?
Emerging Skills: Is the student on the verge of mastering an important skill that could be lost?
Severity of Disability: Students with more intensive needs may require continuity of instruction.
The Problem We See Too Often
Too often, ESY is treated as a checkbox instead of an individualized decision.
Common issues include:
Generic program placements
Lack of alignment with the student’s IEP goals
Insufficient intensity (e.g., group instruction instead of the needed 1:1)
Staff who are not trained in the student’s methodology (e.g., structured literacy)
For students with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities, this is especially concerning. These students require consistent, cumulative instruction. A long break without appropriate support can undo hard-earned progress.
What Families Should Ask
If ESY is being discussed—or denied—consider asking:
What data is being used to make this decision?
How will regression be measured?
What is the plan for recoupment if skills are lost?
Will instruction match the methodology used during the school year?
Who will be delivering the services, and what training will they have?
If the district refuses ESY, families have the right to request that this decision be included in a Prior Written Notice (PWN).
A Shift in Thinking: ESY as Continuity, Not Compliance
At its best, ESY should be viewed as part of a continuum of services, not an afterthought.
Students who require structured, explicit instruction, particularly in reading, writing, and executive functioning, benefit from consistency over time. When we interrupt that consistency, we risk widening gaps that are already difficult to close.
ESY is not about giving students “more school.” It’s about giving them what they need to maintain access to learning.
When decisions are grounded in data, aligned with student needs, and delivered with fidelity, ESY can be the difference between stagnation and stability—and sometimes even continued growth.