Make ESY Great Again!

Last winter, one Fairfax County family found itself anxiously refreshing the district’s website in hopes of learning critical details about the Extended School Year (ESY) program. Their child, a rising seventh grader with special needs, had made excellent progress the summer before. But as the holidays ended and January stretched on, there was still no official word on where and when ESY would be offered this year.

The family recalled that in 2022, ESY was held at a convenient middle school in Herndon, allowing for an easy morning drop-off en route to work. The year prior, though, the program had been moved to another middle school 30 minutes away, with a slightly different schedule. That shift forced them to scramble for new transportation and day-to-day arrangements. Adding to the confusion, the school district did not disclose those final details until mid-February, leaving them with precious little time to rearrange their summer plans. Across the county, other families and teachers share the same frustration. A veteran special education teacher recently described how they often feel compelled to wait until late winter to find out which schools will host ESY and which dates it will run. The teacher relies on ESY assignments to continue working during the summer, but not knowing the location or timeframe makes personal planning—and even scheduling professional development—nearly impossible.

ESY is vital for students who benefit from structured learning over the summer. Many have disabilities or conditions that can lead to significant regression if they go too long without consistent educational support. Yet when parents and educators don’t know where or when ESY will take place until early spring, they must scramble to coordinate schedules, therapies, and IEP adjustments in a matter of weeks. For families, these last-minute decisions can create logistical chaos. They might need to rework therapy appointments, vacation plans, or childcare arrangements around ESY’s uncertain schedule. For teachers, an unclear timeline makes it more difficult to finalize their summer commitments—anything from personal travel to running other programs.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is one of the largest districts in the nation, known for planning the school-year calendar well in advance. Major breaks and teacher workdays are rarely a surprise. ESY, however, seems perpetually in flux—shifting locations, shifting dates, often with only a month or two of real notice. Critics say this unpredictability is especially vexing given ESY’s mission: to maintain consistency and avoid skill loss in students with special needs. In many school districts, a set window for ESY—say, from late June through most of July—and designated anchor sites are established well ahead of time. Families know each year what to expect, teachers can plan their schedules, and administrators can recruit staff accordingly.

In Fairfax County, the announcement for ESY sites and schedules often arrives in January or February. While that might sound early to some, for families navigating special education services, it can feel like a time crunch. Many have mid-year IEP reviews around the same period, which include discussions of summer goals and service hours. Once a location and timeline are finally revealed, everyone involved—parents, teachers, administrators—must hurry to revise IEPs, confirm transportation, and sort out childcare options.

A local family recalls the panic they felt when they learned that ESY was set to take place at a high school nearly an hour’s drive away. They had to rearrange work schedules, organize a carpool with another family, and decide whether the program was truly feasible given the commute. For a service designed to prevent educational regression, these abrupt logistical hurdles are counterproductive.

Ultimately, many parents and educators believe that FCPS has the capacity to streamline ESY planning. If the district truly values the summer learning needs of students who receive special education services, it should demonstrate that commitment by establishing a consistent timeframe and predictable locations. This would go a long way toward reducing stress and improving the quality of the program.

Year after year, the same problems emerge: parents waiting for details, teachers unsure if they can commit, and children who need a seamless transition to avoid losing the progress they’ve made. Families already face countless challenges coordinating therapies and other supports for their children—ESY, in theory, should offer some relief, not impose additional burdens.

Until FCPS commits to a stable, well-communicated schedule, families and educators will continue refreshing webpages in early winter, bracing themselves for whatever changes might come. Ironically, a program intended to maintain consistency over the summer has become a source of unpredictability. If the district wants ESY to succeed in its mission, it must offer the very stability that students with special needs—and their families—rely on to thrive.