Extended School Year Services

IDEA also provides the legal standards for Extended School Year services (ESY.) ESY is designed to prevent substantial regression in skills and to eliminate the need for a long period of time needed to recoup skills due to school breaks (particularly summer vacation.) Services are not intended to teach new skills. Each school district interprets these standards differently. Some districts rely heavily on these standards and test students using the regression/recoupment standard over other breaks in the schedule (Winter break) to determine eligibility. Still others consider all students receiving services under the autism category to need ESY services. Some districts offer short ESY daily sessions for most of the summer break. Still others provide longer school days for fewer total days of the break. For more information about ESY in your district, contact your special education office.