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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.