Extended School Year (ESY) Services

Extended School Year Services (ESY) are services provided to eligible students with disabilities beyond the regular school year. These services must be determined on an individual basis by the Individualized Education Plain (IEP) team. Inver Grove Heights Schools offers a continuum of ESY services from center-based programming to support in non-special education programs. The need for ESY services must be addressed annually for each student with a disability.

What is the purpose of ESY?
The purpose of ESY is to prevent severe and substantial regression in one or more acquired skills that cannot be recouped within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed eight weeks.

Who determines whether a student with a disability needs ESY?
The IEP team will decide if the student has exhibited regression OR may be reasonable expected to exhibit sever and substantial regression in one or more acquired critical skills. The IEP team determines which services are to be provided to the student during ESY. The IEP team will review the documentation of regression to determine on which goals or objectives the student has experienced sever and substantial regression. The frequency and duration of ESY services are based on the requirements of the selected goals or objectives.

How does the IEP team decide whether a student with disabilities needs ESY?
The IEP team determines if the loss of an acquired skill could lead to the following occurrences:
  1. Placement would be more restrictive.
  2. Significant loss of acquired skills necessary for the student to make appropriate progress in the general curriculum.
  3. Significant loss of self-sufficiency in self-help skills as evidenced by increased number of direct service staff and/or amount of time required to provide special education or related services.
  4. Loss of access to community-based independent living skills instruction or to an independent living environment provided by non-educational sources as a result of regression in skills.
  5. Loss of access to an on-the-job training opportunity or productive employment as a result of regression in skills.
If a child with a disability receives ESY one summer, will he/she receive ESY the following summer?
No, a student's involvement in ESY services one year does not automatically guarantee services for the following year. The decision about the need for ESY services is determined annually by the IEP team.

What information can I provide to assist the IEP team in the decision-making process?
You can assist by providing information about your child's ability to maintain skills during extended breaks from school. Some examples of information that you can provide include:
  1. How well did your child maintain skills last summer?
  2. What impact do weekends and holidays have on your child's ability to maintain skills?
  3. How long does it usually take your child to regain the skills he or she has lost after an extended break from school?
If you have any questions regarding Extended School Year services, please contact Kris Hillesheim, Assistant Director of Special Education, at 651-306-7828 or [email protected].