School reversed their decision on ESY services, yeah!!!

[kirstenb1]

Our 5 yr old Zoe is in her 3rd year of special ed preschool. The first year, she was found eligible for Extended School Year. Last year, I was blindsided and she was found not eligible. I felt like I had failed her, and not advocated well at all.

This year, I printed off the State's DOE guidelines for ESY. Her school had initially found her not eligible. So we re-convened, and I was able to find the criteria for eligibility that I felt she met. We discussed that criteria (it was not "regression", but rather "emerging lifeskills/breakthrough opportunity". After almost the entire year of not talking to peers or teachers, Zoe has spontaneously been starting conversations with everyone everyday!! I said that communication is a critical life skill, and we need to help her continue to move forward. It's like a miracle.

So after 90 minutes the IEP team reversed their earlier finding!!! I am still in shock!!!

 

[bookwormde]

Congratulations,

Unfortunately it is often all about the parent finding the wording in the regulations. It is always amazing the "professionals" on the team do not have a full grasp regulation and their intent (I guess I am being generous since it is often that they are directed to "cut back" since these services cost $)

bookwormde

 

[kirstenb1]

Thanks Bookwormde!! The team initially honed in on "regression" as the overriding factor, but the VDOE merely listed it as one of many factors to consider.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

congrats!!!!!

 

[Singledad]

congrats! and THANK YOU! I have a meeting planned tomarrow looking at if my DD (5) is eligible for ESY services or not. Since the only thing the director mentioned was needing documentation of loss of skills during breaks, I fear that without being now armed with the full information about what is or isn't required to qualify for ESY in my state that I *know* my DD qualifies.

If it wasn't for this posting I wouldn't have thought to look for if there was more than just loss of skills that would qualify.


DD just finally is able to write some of her letters in such a way that others know what it is that she is writing. YAY for OT! I fear that she will regress, and not progress during the summer if OT is not continued in some fashion over the summer months. I try to work with her at home as much as I am possible, but since I too have fine motor issues, I can't help her the way they do. My examples are NOT good, and I too do not have endurance to write more than a few lines before *I* am done. It is hard enough to admit my child needs help, but the fact that I can't help her as much as someone else is even harder to admit. To admit it, and be denied it would have killed me.

 

[bookwormde]

Here is the core regulation about ESY, as you can see it can be for any reason necessary for provision of FAPE, not the limited set of criteria that is often put forward

Sec. 300.106 Extended school year services.
(a) General.
(1) Each public agency must ensure that extended school year services are available as necessary to provide FAPE, consistent with paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(2) Extended school year services must be provided only if a child's IEP Team determines, on an individual basis, in accordance with Sec. Sec. 300.320 through 300.324, that the services are necessary for the provision of FAPE to the child.
(3) In implementing the requirements of this section, a public agency may not--
(i) Limit extended school year services to particular categories of disability; or
(ii) Unilaterally limit the type, amount, or duration of those services.
(b) Definition. As used in this section, the term extended school year services means special education and related services that--
(1) Are provided to a child with a disability--
(i) Beyond the normal school year of the public agency;
(ii) In accordance with the child's IEP; and
(iii) At no cost to the parents of the child; and
(2) Meet the standards of the SEA.

bookwormde

 

[kirstenb1]

SingleDad, good luck! I pored over that document (about 50 pages!), but it wasn't too obtuse or hard to read, surprisingly.

I also brought in Zoe's sticker charts, which showed emerging communication skills, over the last 2 mths.

For anyone reading this...try not to get sidetracked. The ST and PT in the meeting were suggesting Zoe go to VBS or summer camps. That's great, but we were supposed to be discussing ESY, not other activities that our family will be pursuing for Zoe.

The next step will be helping her introduce herself and gradually playing with other kids outside the classroom. Her teacher is wonderful. She had asked me for a list of challenges/goals I'd like to see Zoe work toward this summer (personally, not IEP goals). Tomorrow we're meeting, and she's giving me some social stories and strategies.

 

[Singledad]

we got ESY! everyone but the head guy all seemed to really want this for DD, and so we got it. ot drops to 1x per week, but something is better than nothing!! woot!

thanks again for sharing this as i feel it was the point that made the one guy agree to it. (and he is the 'money man')

 

[kirstenb1]

Singledad, Congratulations!!! I'm really happy for you and your daughter!!! Everyday life can be tough with our kids....sometimes it's hard to find the extra energy to put into a meeting like this, but what a payoff