5 Helpful Tips for an
Effective High School ESY Program

School’s over! After the hustle and bustle of wrapping up the school year, you can now relax and go on the vacation you’ve been looking forward to.

Well, not if you’re an ESY teacher.

For special education teachers like me, summer might mean preparing for a few more weeks of ESY, or extended school year. If you’re one of us and you need support planning a fun and interesting ESY program, you don’t need to panic.

I’m here to give you some tips to help you prepare your activities and lessons during ESY. Let’s look into what your high school or transition students may need this summer!

Let's Cover the Basics!

What is ESY?

If you’re new to Special Education, you might wonder what ESY is. ESY is short for an extended school year. It’s a time when many special education students will come to school for additional 4 to 6 weeks during the summer.

This will provide a continuous learning environment for special education students so they don’t regress.

A student with a disability may qualify for ESY if they did not make enough progress on their IEP (Individualized Education Plan) goals, and/or if the chance of regression is high.

What is regression?

Regression or academic regression is used when students have a setback or cannot retain information over a long period.

And summer break is a long time! Students who don’t get any academic stimuli in the summer can lose what they’ve learned from the prior school year.

Moreover, neurodivergent students are more vulnerable to regression.

5 Tips for ESY Planning

#1: Have a Routine

Yes, ESY is more laid back, but just like in a regular school year, a routine can be really helpful. It’s best to have a solid pattern of what your day will look like.

Your schedule doesn’t have to be super detailed. You can try a simple schedule such as:

#2: Keep Your Focus on IEP Goals

#3: Make It Fun

#4: Try New Activities

If there are some activities that you weren’t able to fit into your regular school schedule, the ESY is the perfect time to do them.

Here are some examples of ESY activities and lessons that you can try.

#5: Save time with Pre-Made Materials

Have a Fun Extended School Year!

So there you have it. If you have your ESY program planned out, everything will be a lot less stressful. You’ll be able to help your students meet their educational goals effectively and in a fun way.

Feel free to use the tips and ideas I’ve shared to make your job manageable and have a successful extended school year!