| Are you the parent of a child with autism or a learning | | | | Factor 3: Emerging skills/and Breakthrough |
| disability, who believes that your child needs | | | | opportunities. Is your child just starting to learn to read, |
| educational services outside of the school day? Have | | | | and will a long summer break prevent progress from |
| you been told that your child does not qualify for | | | | continuing? You could use this as a reason to ask for |
| summer school because there is no proof of | | | | ESY, for your child with a disability. |
| regression? | | | | Factor 4: Interfering Behavior behavior that affects |
| This article will discuss the 6 factors that IEP teams | | | | your child's ability to benefit from special education. |
| must consider when discussing Extended School Year | | | | Factor 5: Nature and Severity of Disability. OSEP |
| (ESY). | | | | released a policy letter on February 4, 2003 that |
| Extended school year is educational and related | | | | states A public agency may not limit ESY services to |
| services outside of the regular school year. The child | | | | particular categories of disability, or unilaterally limit the |
| must need ESY, in order to receive a free appropriate | | | | type, amount, or duration of these services. Many |
| public education (FAPE). ESY can extend beyond | | | | school districts were only offering extended school |
| summer school, if the child needs it. | | | | year services to children with the most severe |
| In the court case Reusch vs. Fountain the court found | | | | disabilities, this is not allowed. |
| six factors for IEP teams to consider in deciding if a | | | | Factor 6: Special circumstances that interfere with |
| child is eligible for ESY services. | | | | your child's ability to benefit from special education. |
| Factor 1: Regression and Recoupment: Is the child likely | | | | Was your child ill, or missed a lot of school because of |
| to lose critical academic or functional skills, or fail to | | | | illness. You could use this reason to ask for ESY |
| recover these skills within a reasonable time. | | | | services for your child. |
| Many special education personnel only use regression | | | | By using these 6 factors you will be able to advocate |
| and recoupment to determine ESY eligibility. Courts | | | | for ESY for your child. Children with autism, and also |
| and OSEP have ruled that this is not the only | | | | learning disabilities often need extended school year |
| consideration. | | | | services, in order to benefit from their education. You |
| Factor 2: Degree of progress toward IEP goals and | | | | may have to fight for this important service, but it will |
| objectives. If your child did not make progress during | | | | be worth it. After all, isn't your child worth the fight! |
| the school year, you could use this to ask for ESY. | | | | |