Was ESY Worth It?

Now that summer's wrapping up, it's time to evaluate how effective ESY (Extended School Year) services were for your child.  We know everyone is changing their focus to preparing for the upcoming school year, but take this one step before buying ALL the school supplies!

If you haven't received the ESY progress report yet, it's a good idea to request it now.  Be sure to read through it, to ensure the information is accurate.  If your child only attended a few sessions, don’t worry, just make a note to provide an explanation  -  we went on a once in a lifetime trip to New Zealand, for example.

ESY is not the same as summer school; it is a specific service outlined in a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) based on their unique needs. The purpose of Extended School Year (ESY) services is to provide special education and related services beyond the regular school year to students with disabilities who qualify. ESY is designed to prevent significant regression of skills during extended breaks, such as summer vacation, that could make it difficult for the student to regain the skills they had previously mastered.

At your child’s annual review meeting, the subject of ESY will come up, so having the progress report from ESY along with a few other critical pieces of information to appropriately plan for next summer. 

Here's what you'll need:

1. Progress reports from June: These provide a baseline for where your child was before ESY began

2. Your notes: Write yourself a note documenting what you witnessed this summer. How did your child do during and after ESY services. This could include both academic and behavioral changes.

3. ESY Progress Report - A written summary of the ESY services provided by the school: This should detail what services were provided, how often and in what setting.

4. Benchmark assessments: Most elementary aged students are assessed 3 time a year by the general ed staff. The fall benchmarks are usually completed within the first few weeks of school. Consider requesting this information from your child's teacher.

After the first month of school, consider requesting a Team meeting to discuss your concerns about ESY and it's effectiveness. This is especially important if your child has experienced regression that hasn't yet been recouped. The team will need this information as they plan for next year's summer services. If ESY was successful, celebrate, and remember to bring this up at your child's annual review meeting.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or have questions, give us a call (508/428-2288), we're here to help!