Extended School Year (ESY)

Special Education Department

Extended School Year (ESY): What Families Need to Know

In Lake Orion Community Schools, we want every student to continue making meaningful progress toward their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals. This spring, if your child has an IEP, your team will decide whether they are eligible for Extended School Year (ESY) special education services. Some students may require services provided outside the regular school year to continue accessing a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

ESY is...

Services offered beyond the regular school year/day

Designed to maintain an essential skill already in a student’s IEP

Determined by the IEP team using individual data, including progress monitoring, observations, and parent input

Provided only when necessary for a student to maintain key skills related to their independence, communication, safety, or access to learning

 

ESY is not...

Summer school

A way to teach new skills

Automatic for any disability or program

A continuation of the student’s full school-year IEP

 

How teams decide: IEP teams review data to determine whether a student may lose an essential skill during a break and struggle to regain it, whether they are at a critical stage of learning, or whether the nature of their disability is such that an interruption would slow progress. Teams focus on skills that support independence, communication, participation in school or the community, and those that help a student remain in the least restrictive environment.If ESY is being considered for your child, your IEP team will review the data with you, discuss the skills of concern, and answer any questions you may have. Families are key partners in this process, and your input is always included.If you have questions about ESY or how decisions are made, please get in touch with your child’s case manager or the Special Education Department. We are here to support you.

Director: Sara Leggett

Supervisor: Natalie Kulikowski