Extended School Year Services

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its regulations do not unequivocally require school boards to provide students with disabilities with special education and related services during traditional school vacations. However, when students with disabilities need extended school year (ESY) programming in order to receive a free appropriate public education, school boards must deliver such programs. Even though most students with disabilities do not require services during school vacations, those with severe disabilities sometimes require programming of this sort. The IDEA and its regulations are silent as to the situations in which school boards must provide ESY programming, but the courts have offered some direction, as summarized in this entry.