Lake Elsinore Unified School District
Extended School Year Eligibility Guidance & Matrix
The use and distribution of this form is limited to employees of and the use in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District
GUIDANCE FOR IEP TEAMS REGARDING EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR
Should ESY Be Recommended?
 Since the need for ESY is primarily based on an unacceptable regression or recoupment as
demonstrated by the student, it is important to understand what might be acceptable for most
students. Tilley, Cox, and Staybrook (1986) found most students experience some regression
during summer break. Using standardized tests, they found the rate of regression for regular
education students was 4%. Students with mild handicaps, hearing impairments, and serious
behavior disorders regressed at approximately the same rate as their regular education peers.
For students with moderate to severe handicaps, there was an increased rate of
regression and a slower rate of recoupment. According to the study, the areas that were
most impacted for those students were language, gross motor, fine motor, and self-help skills.
Therefore, it is reasonable for students with moderate to severe challenges to be considered
for an ESY program that would concentrate on minimizing regression and recovery time.
 When considering ESY for any student, the IEP Team must consider data collected during
the previous year(s) to determine the student’s need based on regression and recoupment.
This decision should be based on a multi-faceted measurement. The IEP team must decide
a child’s eligibility for ESY services based on data collected that reflects his/her
regression/recoupment capacity. To help understand this process, the following chart is
included.
Data Collection Timeline Guidance
First 8 Weeks of School Year
 Collect present levels based on data
 Reteach based on students levels
 Compare prior Spring data to determine if the student recouped his/her skills from previous year
(this data is the BASIS for the annual ESY discussion at the IEP)
 Instruction is on-going with documented data collection
 Based on data, when student found eligible for ESY services the IEP team documents the reasons
why the student is now eligible
 Data to support ESY is included in the team summary or attached to the IEP
 Continue instruction and document progress using progress reports to accompany standards-based
report cards
Following the First & Second Grading Period(s)
For new students or any student whom you were unable to gather regression/recoupment data during the
first 8 weeks of school, review data before and after any break from school (ex: Thanksgiving, Winter or
Spring break) to determine if the student may have a significant regression/recoupment problem
 Use data collected at the basis for ESY eligibility discussion at the annual IEP or addendum
meeting
 Re-teaching time should equal the length of the break (1 week break = 1 week reteaching)
 As soon as a student is found eligible for ESY, the reasons are documented on the IEP summary
or via addendum
 Continue instruction and document progress using progress reports to accompany standards-based
report cards
Four to Five Months Prior to the End of the School Year (End February/Early March)
 Begin looking for ESY Registration documents
 Be sure to build ESY Enrollment packages as directed on Registration documents
 If you are unsure if a student should participate in ESY contact your grade level Program
Specialist for support.
When should ESY Data Collection occur?
 At the end of the regular school year
 At the end of the summer program
 At the beginning of the subsequent school year
 Before and after school breaks (ex: Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring breaks)
 Ongoing data collection of information throughout the entire school year
How Should ESY Eligibility Be Determined?
 The child’s individual education program (IEP) should be the foundation for determining the
need for ESY. This can be achieved through ongoing assessment and/or review of progress
toward goals/objectives.
 The IEP team for an initial IEP will not be able to make this determination until after the
student has been receiving the special education services and data has been collected. It is
recommended that the IEP team reconvene after 3-6 months to review progress data and
compare work from before and after break.
 The severity of the handicap is a primary consideration in determining eligibility for ESY.
Based on the Reusch v. Fountain case, the IEP team should consider the following:
 Student’s age,
 Severity of the disability,
 Presence of medically diagnosed health impairments,
 Attainment of self-sufficiency, and
 Development of an emerging, critical skill that will be lost due to interruption.
Other factors to consider are:
 Regression rate and
 Recoupment time in relation to normal rates,
 Behavioral and physical problems,
 Curricular areas which would be adversely impacted, and
 Vocational needs.
EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR ELIGIBILITY MATRIX
Student Name:
Age:
Primary Disability:
Grade
IEP Date:
Date of Birth:
Secondary Disability:
Description of how disability impacts student’s achievement (as reflected on page 1 of the
student’s current IEP):
Describe the student’s school year programming by answering the prompts below:
Teacher:
School of Service:
Description of alternative, life-skills, based goals within the student’s IEP:
**If the student is presently receiving Specialized Academic Instructional services from a
Moderate or Moderate to Severe teacher then protocol checklist does not need to be completed
below.
Extended School Year Definitions:
Extended School Year or ESY are services and programs which support the student in the
following ways:
 Working toward SAME annual goals and objectives developed during the year
 Only provided in those areas on the IEP where evidence exists to support the following:
o Regression of skills during an school break (ex: Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring
breaks) AND
o Limited ability to benefit from re-teaching of skills after an school break
o Regression loss of previously attained skills supported by the review of the
student’s IEP goals due to a school break
Rate of Recoupment:
 Length of time needed to re-learn skills following a school break
Regression and Recoupment:
 Students with disabilities which are likely to continue indefinitely or for a long period of
time
 Interruption of the students educational programming may cause regression, when
coupled with evidence of limited recoupment capacity, rendering it impossible or highly
unlikely that the student will attain the level of self-sufficiency and independence as
otherwise expected in view of his/her disabling conditions (5 C.C.R. Section 3043)
ESY Protocol Checklist
Directions: Using Section I-III of the LEUSD Extended School Year Protocols, complete the sections
below with the IEP team as evidence when determining a student will require ESY as part of FAPE.
Indicator 1: In August of the current school year
No or Yes (Circle One)
with evidence of a review period equal to that of
If Yes is indicated, specify what area(s) and attach
general education students, was the student unable
data to support decision
to regain skills lost over the break that would
otherwise be expected in consideration of the
student’s present disabling condition?
Indicator 2: Does the student display a loss of
previously taught skills and an inability to regain
those skills following breaks in instruction during
the regular school year (ex: Thanksgiving, Winter
or Spring break)?
No or Yes (Circle One)
If Yes is indicated, specify what area(s) and attach
data to support decision
Indicator 3: Is the current student at a crucial stage
in learning a skill(s), such that an break in school
program might cause a loss of a skill(s) that the
student would not be able to re-learn in a
reasonable period of time in view of the student’s
disabling condition?
Indicator 4: Is the student able to maintain the
skills identified without Extended School Year?
No or Yes (Circle One)
If Yes is indicated, specify what essential skill (s)
and attach data to support decision
Indicator 5: Does the student require ESY to
continue to achieve at the level of independence
that is expected in view of the student’s disabling
condition?
No or Yes (Circle One)
If Yes is indicated, specify what level(s) and attach
data to support decision
Indicator 6: The student demonstrates a pattern of
past regression in skills as evidenced by breaks of
more than four weeks
Comments (describe the degree (minimal or
serious) of actual or likely regression following a
school break):
Indicator 7: Document the estimated amount of
time it takes or it may take the student to regain the
prior level of knowledge skills, benefits or
functioning following a school break
(Circle One Below)
One Month or Less
Up to Three Months
4-6 Months
Other
No or Yes (Circle One)
If Yes is indicated then provide a description of the
degree (minimal or serious) of actual or likely
Indicator 8: Does the IEP team feel the student’s
disability will continue indefinitely or for a
No or Yes (Circle One)
If NO is indicated, specify what essential skill (s)
and attach data to support decision
prolonged period of time?
regression following a school break as evidenced
by data:
Indicator 9: Does the IEP team feel it will be
impossible or unlikely the student will attain selfsufficiency and independence expected in view of
the student’s disability following a break?
No or Yes (Circle One)
If Yes is indicated then describe the degree
(minimal or serious) of actual or likely regression
following a school break as evidenced by data:
Indicator 10: Is the student at a critical point of
No or Yes (Circle One)
skill acquisition or readiness where their ability to
If Yes is indicated then describe below:
acquire the skills will be lost or greatly reduced as a
result of an interruption of services?
Indicator 11: Are there any other issues
concerning the student’s physical, medical
condition, emotional, social, behavioral, mental
health, academic and/or vocational issues, and
his/her ability to be with typically developing peers
that may be adversely impacted if the student does
not receive ESY services?
No or Yes (Circle One)
If Yes is indicated then describe below