Summer school is not Extended School Year for IEP kids

An Administrator in a school district is telling parents that Extended School Year is only for IEP students with the most severe disabilities and is only to prevent regression. Parents can share with the administrator the MODESE state information http://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/Q&A/ESY.html

Our kids with IEPs can participate in “summer school” since it is open to all students in the district, if the district is offering it this summer.  Many times our kids need “accommodations” so they can access this program successfully; write the accommodations your child needs on the enrollment form.

ESY is only for an IEP student to work on a few goals from the IEP.

It is possible for an IEP student to participate in both ESY and summer school.

Advocates at The IEP Center can help a parent sort out what the school is proposing or not proposing.  Don’t be bamboozled!

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Advocates at The IEP Center are not attorneys and do not give legal advice. Consult an attorney.

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Missouri Special Education Advocates

Spring IEP meetings often cover programming for a student (who has an IEP) for the summer.  Parents need to understand the difference between “summer school” or “extended school year”.

Typically, summer school is something the district offers to all children in the district, regardless of any disability.  Many times it lasts a few weeks and has enrichment activities,  or often in high school provides credit recovery.

“Extended school year” is specifically for students who have IEPs, and is an opportunity for the student to work on specific goals in the IEP.  The intent is for the student to maintain skill(s) across the summer.  Since this is an IEP team decision, it is individualized for the student and written into the IEP.

When school district folks on the IEP team present a student’s eligibility for ESY, they sometimes mention only “regression” they’ve seen perhaps over winter or spring break.  However, that…

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IEP’s for the summer a.k.a. Extended School Year (ESY)

“Summer school” enrollment is fast approaching; it is offered by school districts to ALL children–yes, our kids with disabilities can participate.  You might need to request accommodations so that your child can have “equal access” to what is being offered.

Our children who have IEP’s may receive ESY during the summer.   This may include services to address goals in the IEP as well as related services (for example OT, PT, ST, etc.).

Many school district IEP teams rely only on a criteria of “predicted regression” to determine if ESY is necessary for the student; this is outdated.  This is not the only criteria.  IDEA address ESY at CFR 300.309.

Some students get ESY for a few hours every morning for a few weeks during the summer.  The most I have seen provided in Missouri is three hours for five mornings a week for eight weeks.

A resource you’ll find helpful is  http://dpi.wi.gov/SPED/pdf/esyguide.pdf        Be sure to print it and take the copy to your IEP meeting.

IEP’s have a special section for “consideration” of ESY; be sure this section is completed by your IEP team.  It should indicate the duration, amount, frequency and specific service(s) of the ESY.    If you believe your child should receive ESY services over the summer but the district doesn’t, a parent can indicate objection by saying so during the meeting and also writing such.  It might be an issue for a child complaint with the state.

If you don’t want to deal with school over the summer, then don’t  pursue ESY.   Some kids need the summer to chill and take a break.