Sevier County Public Schools provides Extended School Year (ESY) services to eligible students receiving special education services. These services are part of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and are usually provided during the summer. This brochure explains ESY services and eligibility criteria. 

What is Extended School Year (ESY) service?

ESY is an extension of specific services, provided beyond the regular school year, to eligible students who receive special education. ESY services are provided to enable a student to receive some educational benefit from his/her educational program during the regular school year. They are designed to meet specific objectives in a student's current Individualized Education Program (IEP). ESY is the extension of the school year, not an automatic summer school placement, or summer enrichment program. Every student with a disability is not eligible for ESY. In fact, ESY may be appropriate for a relatively small number of students with disabilities. However, there is a legal obligation for the IEP team to consider and evaluate ESY eligibility at the annual review meeting for any student receiving special education service. 

Who makes the ESY decision?

ESY eligibility and services are determined at the child's IEP meeting. Parents are full participants, along with school personnel, in developing all parts of the IEP, including the provision of ESY services. The members of the IEP team include the student's parents, the student (if appropriate), the principal or the principal's designee, the special educator, the classroom teacher, and others who might be helpful to the process. This might include the student's speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, vision or mobility teacher, or others who know the student. 

Questions:

Without ESY services, on the identified critical life skills, will the student regress to a degree that will prevent him/her from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the upcoming regular school year?     YES / NO

Without ESY services, will the student's limited progress toward the identified critical life skill objectives prevent him/her from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the upcoming regular school year?     YES / NO

Without ESY services, will the student's identified interfering behaviors that have been targeted by IEP objectives prevent him/her from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the upcoming regular school year?     YES / NO

Without the provision of ESY services, will the nature and/or severity of the student's disability prevent him/her from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the regular school year?     YES / NO

Parents are valued as members of the IEP team and will be asked to participate fully in the ESY decision-making process for their son or daughter. Following the meeting, you will receive a written summary of the ESY decision. If you disagree with the IEP team's decision, you can appeal that decision by requesting mediation or a special education due process hearing. You can also contact the Special Education Office at 865-453-1036 to request a review of the decision. 

How is ESY eligibility determined?

The IEP team applies the following criteria in making eligibility decisions. ESY services must be provided if the student meets any one or a combination of these criteria and there are critical life skills identified. A critical life skill is any behavioral, academic, social or other skill, determined by the IEP team to be critical to the student's overall educational progress. 

A. Regression/recoupment - The IEP team determines whether without ESY services, there is a likelihood of substantial regression of critical life skills caused by the school break and a failure to recover those lost skills in a reasonable time following the school break. This is typically within 60 days of services being re-initiated. 

B. Degree of progress - The IEP team reviews the student's progress towards IEP objectives on critical life skills and determines that without ESY services, the student's degree of progress toward those objectives will prevent the student from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the regular school year. 

C. Emerging skills/breakthrough opportunities - The IEP team reviews all IEP objectives targeting critical life skills to determine whether any of these skills are at a breakthrough point. When critical life skills are at this point, the IEP team determines whether the interruption of instruction on those objectives, caused by the school break, is likely to prevent the student from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the regular school. 

D. Interfering behavior(s) - The IEP team determines whether any interfering behavior(s), such as stereotypic, ritualistic, aggressive, or self-injurious behavior(s) targeted by IEP objectives have prevented the student from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the previous school year without ESY services or whether the interruption of programming which addresses the interfering behavior(s) is likely to prevent the student from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the next school year unless ESY services are provided. 

E. Nature and/or severity of the disability - The IEP team determines whether without ESY services, the nature and/or severity of the student's disability is likely to prevent the student from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the regular school year. 

F. Special circumstances - The IEP team determines whether, without ESY services, there are any special circumstance that will prevent the student from receiving some benefit from his/her educational program during the regular school year. Examples of special circumstances may include students in transition, late entry into school, excessive absences due to illness, consideration of placement in a more restrictive setting, etc. 

If a student qualifies for ESY services, the IEP team will develop an ESY IEP that includes specific goals and benchmarks that require ESY services. The type of service, as well as the frequency and duration of service, needed to meet the ESY IEP objectives, are also identified. 

ESY services will vary in intensity, location, inclusion of related services, and length of time, depending on the student's needs. ESY services may be provided in a variety of settings. The IEP team will determine appropriate ESY services and settings for each student. 

How can I obtain more information concerning ESY eligibility and services or my due process rights?

The information outlined in this brochure will be discussed with you at your son/daughter's IEP meeting. Information regarding your due process rights is explained in the brochure entitled Procedural Safeguards - Parental Rights. If you would like additional ESY information, select this ESY Laws link. If you need a copy of Procedural Safeguards - Parental Rights, you may contact your child's school or the Sevier County Department of Special Education.