Extended School Year (ESY) services are crucial to special education. They are designed to support students with disabilities in maintaining the academic, social, behavioral, or other skills they have learned throughout the school year. Unlike summer school, which is often remedial or enrichment-oriented for the general student population, ESY services are tailored specifically to the needs of students who show regression and risk for recoupment of skills during the summer break.
The primary goal of ESY is to prevent significant regression of previously learned skills that could occur during the long break between school years. These services are especially important for students who have shown a tendency to lose critical skills during prolonged school breaks and who require significant time to recoup these skills once school resumes. Eligibility for ESY is not based on the disability category but on individual needs, which are assessed by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. The decision hinges on various factors, including the likelihood of regression, the time required to recoup skills, the student’s degree of impairment, and the ability to achieve IEP goals without continuous service.