Extended School Year

The Extended School Year (ESY) program provides special education and related services to students with disabilities, beyond the normal school year in accordance with the child’s IEP and at no cost to the parents of the child (ISBE 2005). Eligibility for ESY services is determined by the student’s IEP team members, which includes parents. Teams will consider the severity of the student’s needs, evidence of past loss of skills during extended breaks from school, and patterns of recoupment of skills when returning from breaks. The purpose of ESY is to help students maintain current skill levels. Typically, teams determine ESY eligibility in the spring. Children may be eligible to receive academic support and/or related service support during ESY (e.g., occupational therapy, social work, speech/language support, and physical therapy). For more information on ESY, please see the Communication on Extended School Year Services provided by the Illinois State Board of Education.

BPS101 partners with the MidValley Special Education Cooperative to plan a wonderful ESY program that meets the diverse needs of all of our students with disabilities.  To determine if your child qualifies for ESY and to learn more about which program is recommended to meet their unique needs, please contact a member of your child’s IEP team.