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Extended School Year program served 108 of 180 qualified students; district embeds social skills across ESY
Summary
District staff reported the 2025 ESY ran June 23–July 17 (16 days) with 180 students found eligible and 108 attending; the district embedded social-skills instruction for all ESY students, adjusted daily schedules and emphasized alignment with students' IEP goals.
Wallingford Swarthmore School District staff provided an update on the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) program on Aug. 12, reporting 180 students were determined eligible for ESY; 108 attended district-provided programming and, among students who committed to attend, the district reported an approximately 89% attendance rate.
The district said its ESY program ran Monday–Thursday from June 23 through July 17 (16 days) and included an additional one-week, four-day session for more prepared students. District staff emphasized that ESY is not equivalent to summer school: it is a targeted set of services tied to students’ individualized education program (IEP) goals and is intended to prevent regression that could be caused by an extended summer break.
ESY services included direct instruction and related services such as occupational, speech and physical therapy when specified in students’ IEPs. Staff reiterated that state guidance outlines seven factors for ESY eligibility (regression, recoupment, mastery, rate of progress, self-sufficiency/independence, successive interruptions, and severity of disability) and said district practice has tightened eligibility criteria to prioritize students with the most significant need.
This year the district embedded social-skills instruction into the core ESY day for all participating students rather than offering social skills only as a separate, targeted afternoon workshop. Staff characterized this as the second year of the embedded social-skills model and said the change lengthened the ESY day (elementary 1:30 p.m., secondary 1:00 p.m.), but officials said the longer day better mirrors the school year and reinforces PBIS and tier 1 strategies.
The district described three staffing “buckets” used for ESY: WSSD employees, non-WSSD employees, and returning versus new ESY staff. Staff said roughly a two-to-one ratio of returning to new staff is in place and noted ESY often serves as a recruitment pipeline for school-year openings.
Examples of community-based instruction included supervised shopping trips to local stores (Acme, Target) where students practiced shopping lists, budgeting and interacting with clerks as IEP-aligned activities. The district also noted recreational elements meant to boost attendance and engagement — including tie-dye and a sensory musical petting zoo — and described positive feedback from staff and families about the program.
District leaders said they will continue refining the program structure and communications (for instance, clarifying why some students receive a 16-day program and others 20 days) and will seek to maximize participation by returning WSSD employees while balancing staff workload.
Ending: District officials said ESY produced strong attendance and positive feedback, but staff signaled ongoing efforts to clarify eligibility criteria and program length to reduce confusion in future years.
