What summer programming is the Office of Specialized Services (OSS) providing during Summer 2024?

The Office of Specialized Services (OSS) is providing Extended School Year (ESY) to provide special education services as outlined in students’ Individualized Education Program (IEPs).

What is Extended School Year (ESY)?

Extended School Year (ESY) is a five (5) week summer program for students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams have identified are at risk of substantial regression of skills over the summer. Not every student with a disability will be eligible for Extended School Year (ESY).

What are 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies?

Fifth Quarter Summer Learning Academies are five-week, non-credit programs focused on academic acceleration and enrichment, run by a school or community-based organization with interest-based experiences, like outdoor exploration, sailing, soccer, or arts.

Fifth Quarter Summer Learning Academies aim to provide students in Boston with access and opportunity to summer enrichment programming. These programs will provide all campers with academic enrichment opportunities, including but not limited to, literacy and math instruction, as well as other traditional summer enrichment activities.  These programs support students by:

1) Limiting summer learning loss and improving student academic achievement;

2) Supporting the development of important social-emotional skills and improving student outcomes by building critical skills. 

3) Strengthening the effectiveness of school-community partnerships; and 

4) Promoting student health and wellness

Will the 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies Meet My Student’s Individualized Education Plan? 

No.  Boston Public Schools is offering 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies to provide students with IEPs access and the opportunity to do summer enrichment programming as an alternative to the Extended School Year. While BPS will endeavor to provide any ESY student who chooses to attend 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies with academic and related services in accordance with their IEPs, due to the limited availability of certified special education teachers for 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies, BPS cannot guarantee full compliance with each ESY student’s IEP.

Therefore, because the academic enrichment opportunities at 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies may not meet all ESY students’ IEP requirements, ESY students who choose to attend 5th Quarter Summer Learning will be deemed to have voluntarily opted-out of BPS ESY. ESY students who voluntarily opt out of ESY by choosing to attend 5th Quarter Summer Learning Academies will not be eligible for compensatory services for missed ESY.

What site will my child be assigned to?

We do our best to assign students to schools nearest their homes that have staff who can meet the needs of students as outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEPs). 

• For Extended School Year (ESY), our students with a high level of need according to their IEP are assigned as a cohort with their classmates, still taking into consideration the closest neighborhoods. Students with a lower level of need are assigned to schools closest to their home.

  • Included with the enrollment information for your student, you will find your student’s site assignment, program address, and program hours.

  • To submit an online confirmation for your student, please follow this link: to bostonpublicschools.org/ESY.

I’m unable to enroll. What should I do?

Email esy@bostonpublicschools.org or call 617-635-8873 for assistance.

Can I change the site my child is scheduled to attend?

BPS considers site change requests on a case by case basis. If you’d like to request an Extended School Year (ESY) site change, please email esy@bostonpublicschools.org.  Include the student name(s), student ID#(s) and reason(s) for request. A staff member from the Office of Specialized Services will get back to you regarding your inquiry.  Information for all sites can be found here: bostonpublicschools.org/ESY.

My student has health needs that need to be addressed during the school day.  Will there be a nurse on site?

All sites will have a nurse assigned full time throughout the Extended School Year (ESY) program.  If your child requires medication during school hours, BPS must have a current doctor’s order on file. These notes do not travel from the School Year Program to the Extended School Year (ESY) and a new authorization will need to be provided. Please provide the medication to your child’s Extended School Year (ESY) site nurse. Medication cannot be sent with the student or kept in their backpack.

How can I get in touch with my child’s Extended School Year (ESY) teacher?

Teachers will reach out prior to the start of the Extended School Year (ESY) and provide you with contact information.

What services will be provided for my child at Extended School Year (ESY)?

The Extended School Year (ESY) program will target objectives based on the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP), including related services. There are 4 options for families:

1. Your child will be attending ESY and will use school bus transportation during ESY.
   
   
2. Your child will be attending ESY but will not use school bus transportation during ESY.
   
   
3. Your child will attend ESY for Related Services ONLY.
   This option does NOT include transportation. Your child’s teacher/specialist will contact you the week before ESY to schedule a time for your child to receive services.
   
   
4. No, your child will NOT be attending ESY.
   You fully understand that the district is not obligated to provide compensatory services for services that my child will miss during this time.

Can my child attend Extended School Year (ESY) for Related Services Only?

Students can attend Extended School Year (ESY) for related services only, per the student’s IEP. If families choose to receive related services only, they must provide their own transportation to the Extended School Year (ESY) sites.

Will transportation be provided for my child to attend Extended School Year (ESY)? 

All students enrolled in the Extended School Year (ESY) will continue to be eligible for transportation if it is outlined in their IEP. While a student is eligible for transportation based on their IEP, transportation will only be assigned to students who affirmatively request transportation services. As part of the enrollment process, families will be asked to confirm whether their student needs transportation. Please let us know if you need transportation through the ESY enrollment process by June 14, 2024, to guarantee a bus assignment is in place for the first day of ESY.

After this date, families who have not previously let us know they need transportation for ESY can call (617) 635-8873 or email esy@bostonpublicschools.org at any time to opt into transportation. Once requested, a transportation assignment will then be provided as quickly as possible, typically within one week. This approach will allow Boston Public Schools to shorten student ride times and improve timeliness and consistency of bus service during ESY.

For students who opt-in to transportation for the summer, transportation will be provided in accordance with a student’s IEP. Students with door-to-door transportation will be provided with door-to-door during ESY. Students with corner transportation will either continue with corner transportation or walk to school, if they are in the ‘walk zone’ for their ESY assignment. Students 7th grade and up without specialized transportation will be able to continue to utilize their M7 MBTA pass throughout the summer.

In order to support families, the Department of Transportation uses the Transportation Support Portal:
bostonpublicschoolshelp.freshdesk.com/support/home for families to enter and check the status of support tickets. This includes questions and transportation change requests. 

If your address has changed this school year, be sure to visit the nearest Welcome Center:
bostonpublicschools.org/welcomecenters, so that your information is up-to-date. Transportation will be routed based on the address we have on record.

The deadline to enroll and complete address changes to ensure your child will have transportation at the start of Extended School Year (ESY) is Friday, June 14, 2024. For students who request transportation and/or update their address after this date, BPS Transportation will continue to update and provide bus assignments on an ongoing weekly basis throughout the summer.

For additional information visit: bostonpublicschools.org/transportation.

My family is taking a vacation or my child is attending a camp during the Extended School Year (ESY) program.  Are they able to return when it’s over?

Yes, your child may attend at any time the program is in session. If you know the specific dates your student will be attending, please share those dates with your child’s Site Coordinator, so that we can effectively plan for your student.

Will my child be promoted to the next grade if they are unable to attend?>

The Extended School Year (ESY) program does not impact promotion between grades.

How do I learn more about Extended School Year (ESY)?

For questions about Extended School Year (ESY), please email esy@bostonpublicschools.org or call (617) 635-8873.