Abstract
Extended school year (ESY) is a summer program available for students with disabilities who meet specific qualifying criteria. Teachers are often hesitant to accept the position of the ESY teacher due to the ambiguities and demands of the position. The purpose of this article is to briefly share the impetus and focus of ESY and give special education teachers nine tips to create and execute an effective ESY program. When implemented correctly, ESY programs have the potential to help students maintain learned skills and master targeted skills.
Educators, parents, and researchers alike have observed repetitive learning losses in students over the course of the summer break from school. This is often referred to as summer slide (Borman, Benson, & Overman, 2005). Some parents and teachers fear that this break from instruction can lead to not only a loss of previously learned material, but also an increase in the time spent reviewing these skills the next fall (Cooper, 2003). Validating these concerns, Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay, and Greathouse (1996) found that children’s standardized tests scores were a minimum of one month lower on returning to school in the fall than when the students left school in the spring. This regression leaves teachers spending a significant amount instructional time in the fall reteaching lost skills before teaching new material (Larsen, Goodman, & Glean, 1981). This is especially difficult for individuals with disabilities due to the increased amount of time required for these students to regain lost skills. Long breaks from an instructional programming and a substantial amount of instructional time spent relearning skills can greatly hinder educational progress of students (Alexander, Entwisle, & Olson, 2007). In response to this need, parents and teachers have advocated for extended school year (ESY) programs for students with disabilities (Edgar, Spence, & Kenowitz, 2001) and introduced ESY into legislation (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act [IDEA], 2004).
An Overview
Extended school year is the continuation of a school year beyond the traditional 180 days for students with disabilities. It is offered on an individualized basis to students with disabilities, who qualify for special education services, to prevent the regression of previously learned skills and to accelerate the acquisition of skills outlined in their individualized education program (IEP; Edgar et al., 2001). Although IDEA mandated that school districts provide ESY to ensure students with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education (IDEA, 2004), case law is currently used for determination of a child’s eligibility for ESY services (Alexander & Alexander, 2012). The 1994 court case Reusch v. Fountain provided some guidance to practitioners for determining student eligibility for ESY programs. The court listed six factors that the IEP team should consider when determining eligibility for ESY services. These considerations include (a) regression and recoupment, (b) degree of progress toward IEP goals, (c) emerging skills, (d) interfering behavior, (e) severity of the disability, and (f) special circumstances. Although school districts may use these considerations as a guide, the IEP team must look to their state regulations, recent case law, and student specific progress-monitoring data to determine student eligibility for ESY.
Once a school district determines which students qualify for ESY services, each IEP team must specify the program in which each student will participate. Students may require a continuation of their entire special education program or they may only need certain related services (Cortiella, 2010). Whether a school district decides to send students who qualify for ESY to a program outside of the school district or run an in-house program, the school district is responsible for the associated expenses (e.g., transportation, building facilities, curriculum materials, adaptive equipment, support staff, and the teaching staff).
Challenges
Any special education teacher within a school district can choose to implement an ESY program during the summer months. Often, the individual who teaches the ESY program is not the students’ teacher from the previous school year, leaving the ESY teacher minimally acquainted with the students (Katsiyannis, 1991). In addition, ESY students are typically grouped across grade levels, leaving the teacher with a range of student ability levels and grade levels. Teaching unfamiliar content to new and diverse special education students can be an extremely intimidating task for a teacher. Furthermore, if the teacher does not teach the same grade level during the school year, he or she may not have the necessary classroom materials needed to run an efficient program. Collectively, these challenges often deter teachers from teaching the program. The nine tips discussed in this article give teachers desiring to teach an ESY program a place to start. In addition, these tips may provide some helpful ways for both new and veteran ESY teachers to run their programs more efficiently.
Nine Tips for Teachers
The following tips were developed in part through reflection on available literature and in part through the experiences of the author. A literature search into the area of ESY revealed a lack of research on characteristics of effective ESY programs. With such limited research relative to ESY programs, this What Works for Me column seeks to provide ESY teachers with initial guidance on preparing for and implementing a successful ESY program.
Tip 1: Obtain Student Documents
In addition to receiving a copy of each student’s IEP, the ESY teacher should also ask each student’s special education teacher to forward electronic versions of progress-monitoring forms, behavior intervention plan data collection documents, and any other important documents. Electronic versions of these data collection forms allow the ESY teacher to simply edit and print the needed documents. It is also helpful to request the students’ most recent progress monitoring data and report of progress. Sharing these vital documents helps to ensure that the ESY teacher is made aware of the skill sets specific students are working on, as well as the progress they have made throughout the school year (Malone, Mark, Miller, Kekahio, & Narayan, 2014).
Tip 2: Schedule Time for Observations
Being that the ESY teacher is given a roster of unfamiliar students with varying disabilities and needs, it is crucial that the ESY teacher spend some time observing each student in his or her classroom prior to the end of the school year. This type of observation should be arranged through the district’s local education agency representative. During this observation the ESY teacher should focus on the student’s behavior (Volpe, DiPerna, Hintze, & Shapiro, 2005), social interactions with peers (Broadhead, 2006), and classroom accommodations being made for the student. In addition, ESY teachers should talk to the student’s teachers and support personnel to learn as much as they can about the student. Designating time for observation and collaboration will allow the ESY teacher to be better prepared to meet the specific needs of the students.
Tip 3: Communicate With Paraeducators
Oftentimes several paraeducators will be assigned to an ESY classroom to support the teacher. It is extremely beneficial to set up a time to communicate with each paraeducator prior to the first day of the program. Although this time with the paraeducators is not mandated by the school district, and is therefore unpaid, it can be extremely beneficial to the structure and climate of the classroom. The success of the students within the program can often rely on the supports provided by the paraeducators (Fisher & Pleasant, 2012). It is important for the teacher to clarify the paraeducators’ role within the classroom, review the classroom schedule, and specify their responsibilities (Giangreco, Suter, & Doyle, 2010). If possible, giving the paraeducators time prior to the start of the program to familiarize themselves with the classroom environment and materials can help create a more systematic learning environment. Last, the ESY teacher should strive to create a reciprocal and collaborative relationship with the paraeducators in the classroom. By discussing targeted evidence-based practices, specific responsibilities, and student adaptations up front, the paraeducators will be better prepared, and therefore the students will be provided with an optimal learning environment (Jones, Ratcliff, Sheehan, & Hunt, 2012).
Tip 4: Teach Through Learning Centers
Since ESY teachers are assigned a diverse group of students in regard to age, grade, ability, and physical needs, grouping students homogeneously and providing instruction in smaller groups can be helpful (Cooper, Charlton, Valentine, & Muhlenbruck, 2000; Utah Education Network, 2003). In addition, teaching within a small-group learning center structure gives students a higher number of opportunities to respond to the content being presented (Kern & Clemens, 2007). The paraeducators assigned to work in the ESY program can be used to help teach these small groups or provide behavioral support to students during instruction (Riggs & Mueller, 2001). A visual/word schedule can also be made prior to the start of the program so students can see when to visit each station without dependence on teacher directives (Banda, Grimmett, & Hart, 2009). Center themes should be based on the overall needs of the students, but lessons for each group should be specific to the level of the students. For example, learning centers may include reading, math, fine motor, language arts, gross motor, technology (e.g., iPads, Smart Board, computers), and social skills/structured play. Then, within those centers, instruction and materials can be individualized per student needs. Placing students in small, homogenous groups not only helps the teacher tailor instruction but also aides in the students’ self-confidence and encourages their academic success (Jenkins, Antil, Wayne, & Vadasy, 2003).
Tip 5: Clarify the Roles of the Paraeducators
Each ESY program is typically assigned one or more paraeducators to assist the ESY teacher. Discussing each paraeducator’s specific role in the classroom can be extremely beneficial to the flow of the class (Maggin, Wehby, Moore-Partin, Robertson, & Oliver, 2009).
Being that the teacher and students are new to the paraeducators, it can be helpful to review both the academic and behavioral expectations of the classroom with the paraeducators. It can also be helpful to have the paraeducators work with a small group of students instead of assigning them one specific student (Giangreco, 2010). Since the focus of ESY is to work on current IEP goals (IDEA, 2004), the content presented to students should not be unfamiliar material, which allows paraeducators to lead small instructional groups. For example, one paraeducator can provide instruction at a learning center while a second paraeducator focuses on providing behavioral support to another group of students. Last, the different roles of paraeducators can be changed throughout the course of the program, as long as these changes are articulated clearly to the paraeducators (Giangreco et al., 2010). The ESY teacher can move the paraeducators to a different center or switch their role to focus more on behavior support instead of small-group instruction. Being that paraeducators play integral role within an ESY program, it is important to clarify their role and take time throughout the course of the program to check in with them (Giangreco, 2010; Jones et al., 2012).
Tip 6: Ensure Lesson Plans are Goal-Based
Grouping students based on ability level allows for lesson planning to be more focused within each group. Placing a folder with the daily lesson plans and a list of the students’ target skills, based on their IEP goals, at each center can help ensure the instruction and materials match each student’s instructional level (Kern & Clemens, 2007). A standard lesson plan format can be created for all students and then individualized within each group. For example, a reading lesson plan for primary-aged students may include phonemic awareness, phonics practice, vocabulary review, fluency, and comprehension (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000), which can then be adapted so that each group of students works on the same skill, just at a different level. Approaching lesson planning in this manner can help reduce the amount of time needed for planning and keep lessons streamlined. Resources such as Reading Laboratory can help the teacher differentiate the instruction across all of the different ability levels without spending an overabundance of time preparing. Reading Laboratory is a leveled reading program based on research in reading comprehension (Rosenshine & Meister, 1997), phonics (Ehri, 1998), vocabulary (McKeown, Beck, Omanson, & Pople, 1985), and fluency (Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1999) that uses fiction and nonfiction texts to help develop essential literacy skills (SRA Reading Laboratory, 2012). Another resource that can be helpful to tailor instruction to such a diverse classroom is Summer Bridge Books. These workbooks are aligned with the Common Core and incorporate grade-level activities in math, reading, science, and social studies. Using progress-monitoring data, the ESY teacher can select which level most appropriately matches each student’s learning level.
Tip 7: Incorporate Clear Routines
Designing a classroom routine and articulating it clearly to the paraeducator staff and students can be extremely beneficial to an ESY program. Since the students are unfamiliar with the new classroom, it can be helpful to follow the same sequence of events each day to help reduce confusion and increase predictability in the environment (Kern & Clemens, 2007). Furthermore, using consistent visuals and terminology throughout the program can also help students understand the classroom expectations and participate with more independence (Rohrer & Samson, 2014). For example, once students arrive they should follow the same arrival procedure, such as unpack their backpacks, put their homework in the “finished work tray,” and begin their morning work at their seat. Furthermore, Rohrer and Samson (2014) recommend offering schedules within three domains: the classroom, the individual, and the staff. Giving each group of students a visual schedule allows them to be prepared for the day’s activities and move throughout the day more independently. Individual schedule can be designed for specific students on an as needed basis. Last, each paraeducator should be given a copy of the classroom schedule, each group’s schedule, and a schedule specific to his or her responsibilities.
Tip 8: Provide Social Interaction and Physical Movement
Students with disabilities can greatly benefit from explicit instruction on social skills and time to practice in a variety of environments (Elliot, Pring, & Bunning, 2002). Social skills training can be done in a variety of ways and across many settings. It can occur during structured games guided by an adult, during free time on the playground, or even during snack time. In any environment, it is important to incorporate the students’ interests and preferred activities during this time (Kern & Clemens, 2007). Last, incorporating some type of movement into the students’ daily routine can be helpful. Movement activities both give students a break from demanding cognitive tasks and serve to encourage creative development (Skoning, 2008). For example, since ESY programs are carried out in the summer, teachers can have students engage in common outdoor games, such as kickball. This not only is fun but can also prepare students to interact with their peers during the school year.
Tip: 9 Collect Data
Data collection is a vital part of any education program, including ESY (Gregg, 2009a). Since most ESY programs are typically only 4 to 5 weeks in duration, it is important to collect baseline data during the first several days of the program to establish a consistent pattern of responding (Horner et al., 2005). This response pattern reveals where the student is currently performing, prior to the start of the ESY program. Once baseline data are collected, further data should be collected weekly and at the end of the program. Weekly data should guide instruction and give insight as to whether or not the program structure is effective for each student. Collecting data weekly allows the ESY teacher to recognize patterns, determine whether or not progress is being made, and tailor instruction (Gregg, 2009b). Finally, at the end of the program data should be graphed and a copy should be given to the school district and to the parents.
Conclusion
The success of an ESY program depends greatly on delivering high-quality instruction that focuses on individual learning needs (Borman et al., 2005). A program that focuses on the varying needs of the students not only will actively engage the students, but also will encourage personal, academic, and social growth (Hur & Suh, 2010). Implementing an effective ESY program may help to prevent the summer slide so many students with disabilities face. Although preparing to teach such a diverse and unfamiliar group of students within the realm of a short and intense program can be overwhelming, the nine tips offered in this article aim to help teachers, and therefore their students, have a positive and successful experience.
For more insight into the specific ESY guidelines per state, visit your state’s Department of Education website or contact them directly. Table 1 provides guidance on where to find information about ESY.
Extended School Year Resource List.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
Funding Support for this research was provided in part by Grant No. H325D110001 of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Projects, awarded to the University of Pittsburgh.