How do students qualify for Extended School Year (ESY) services?

Students qualify for Extended School Year (ESY) services when their individualized education program (IEP) team decides they may lose important skills during long school breaks without continued support. The team looks at factors like skill regression, how long it takes the student to regain skills, and whether summer services are needed for the child to continue making educational progress. Parents are important members of the ESY decision-making process.  

If your child has an IEP, you may wonder whether summer breaks could affect their learning, communication, behavior, or daily living skills. Understanding how ESY eligibility works can help you prepare for IEP discussions and advocate for the support your child may need.

Understanding How Students Qualify for ESY Services

ESY eligibility is based on each student’s individual needs. There is no automatic qualification based solely on a specific disability or diagnosis. 

When deciding whether a student qualifies for ESY services, the IEP team looks at several important factors, including: 

• Whether the student loses important skills during long school breaks 
• How long it takes the student to regain those skills after returning to school 
• Whether the student is making important progress in a critical area of learning 
• Whether continued summer support is needed to help the student keep making educational progress 

Having an IEP doesn’t automatically mean a student qualifies for ESY services. The IEP team must decide whether continued summer support is necessary based on the student’s individual learning needs and patterns over time.

How Schools Decide Whether a Student Needs ESY Services

Schools look at how well a student keeps important skills during long school breaks and how much support they need when classes begin again 

The IEP team may consider whether the student: 

• Loses important academic, communication, behavior, or daily living skills during breaks 
• Needs a long time to rebuild those skills after returning to school 
• Struggles more after longer breaks, like summer vacation 
• Needs continued support to keep making progress 

For some students, even a short interruption in services can make it difficult to maintain important skills and routines. 

Signs a Student May Need Continued Summer Support

The IEP team looks for patterns over time rather than isolated incidents when making eligibility decisions regarding the need for ESY services. Some students may show signs that they need ESY services to maintain progress during long school breaks. 

Examples may include: 

• Forgetting reading, writing, or math skills after breaks 
• Difficulty returning to classroom routines 
• Losing communication or social interaction skills 
• Increased behavior challenges after time away from school 
• Needing several weeks to regain previously learned skills 

 Some families also explore other summer learning and recreation programs, or a combination of both ESY services and summer camps. Families considering private programs or additional summer support may also want to explore funding and scholarship options.

What Information Schools Use to Make ESY Decisions

The IEP team collaboratively makes ESY eligibility decisions. According to the U.S. Department of Education, these determinations must be individualized and based on each child’s unique needs, not on disability category or administrative convenience. 

The team includes parents, at least one special education teacher, at least one regular education teacher (if appropriate), a school district representative, and related service providers as needed. Parents are equal members with the right to meaningfully participate in all decisions. 

ESY is typically discussed during annual IEP meetings, but parents can request consideration at any time. The team reviews all available data, considers key questions about skill loss and recovery time, and makes an individualized determination about whether ESY is necessary to provide Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

How to Prepare for the ESY Eligibility Discussion

Preparing in advance can help families participate more confidently in ESY discussions during IEP meetings. 

Start by reaching out to your child’s IEP case manager to request ESY consideration. Gather information that may help the team understand how your child responds to long school breaks, including: 

• Notes about skill changes during vacations 
• Classroom work samples 
• Progress reports 
• Observations from teachers or therapists 
• Examples of how long it takes to rebuild skills after breaks 

Specific examples are often more helpful than general concerns because they give the IEP team a clearer picture of your child’s needs over time. You may also want to write down questions before the meeting and identify the skills you are most concerned about maintaining during summer break.  

Clear communication and shared observations from both families and school staff can help support informed ESY decisions.

What if you disagree with an ESY decision?

If the IEP team decides that your child does not qualify for ESY services and you have concerns about the decision, you can ask for more information and request another discussion. 

You may want to: 

• Ask the school team to explain how the decision was made 
• Request written information about the data and observations reviewed 
• Share additional classroom, therapy, or home observations 
• Ask for another IEP meeting if new concerns or questions arise 

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), families have the right to participate in IEP decisions and ask questions about the services being considered. 

Some families also choose to learn more about mediation or other dispute resolution options available through their state’s special education system. Your state’s Parent Training and Information Center may also provide free guidance and educational resources to help families navigate the IEP process.

Taking the Next Step in Your Child’s Summer Learning

Families play an important role in ESY discussions and summer planning decisions. Keeping notes about your child’s progress during school breaks can help schools better understand the support your child may need during the summer months. Observations from both families and school staff help create a clearer picture of how breaks affect learning, communication, behavior, and daily routines. 

Understanding how ESY eligibility works can help families feel more prepared for IEP conversations and summer planning decisions. With preparation, communication, and collaboration, families and school teams can work together to support continued progress throughout the school year. 

Want a broader overview of ESY services, how they work, and how schools provide summer support? Explore our guide to Extended School Year (ESY) services for families.

Common Questions Parents Ask About ESY Qualification

When should ESY be discussed?

ESY is typically discussed during annual IEP meetings, but you can request consideration at any time. If you have concerns about summer regression, contact your child’s IEP case manager as early as possible — ideally by late winter or early spring — so the team has time to collect data and make an informed decision before summer begins. 

Can ESY services target specific subjects or skills?

Yes, ESY services are individualized to address the specific skills most at risk of regression. Your child might receive ESY services for speech therapy but not academic subjects, or for reading skills but not math, depending on what the data shows about regression patterns. 

How long do ESY services typically last?

The duration varies based on individual needs. Some students receive services for four to six weeks during summer, while others may need services throughout the entire break. The IEP team determines the appropriate duration based on your child’s regression and recoupment patterns.