What to do before you send this letter
A strong letter is short because the record does the heavy lifting. Pull the right page, ask one answerable question, and save proof of delivery.
Find the record
Work samples, therapy data, parent notes, or dated videos if appropriate.
Name one answer you need
Ask for ESY review for specific skills.
Use the template below
Customize the letter with dates, the specific IEP section, and the narrow request before adding extra background.
Review the IEP section first
Use the free IEP review to identify the page, weak wording, or missing record worth referencing in the letter.
"I've sat at over 500 IEP tables."
I'm Mary, a former special education teacher and administrator, a Special Education Advocate, and co-founder of The Advocate Ally with my son, Graham. I left the system to help families directly. I created this special education resource because too many parents feel pressured to accept generic, "cookie-cutter" IEPs.
The guidance below is grounded in the same practical, document-based questions I raise in IEP meetings every day. Use it to ask for clearer, more individualized support for your child.
Mary
Co-founder, The Advocate Ally
Before you send anything: Ground the request in the written record. If you have time, review the IEP section first. If this is urgent, send the narrow written request and save proof of delivery.
Use the letter as a clear request, not a legal threat
Copy the template, replace bracketed details, send it to the teacher, case manager, principal, special education contact, or district office that handles the issue, and save a copy. If the school responds, misses the point, or does not respond, keep that reply with your records before choosing the next step.
Important guardrail
This template is educational information, not legal advice. do not promise a remedy or hour-for-hour make-up before the records and local process are reviewed. State rules, forms, timelines, and dispute procedures can vary, so verify current local procedures for urgent or high-stakes decisions.
- Step 1Copy the letter below.
- Step 2Replace bracketed details.
- Step 3Send it to the right school contact.
- Step 4Save the sent copy and attachments.
- Step 5Follow up in writing if needed.
Legal Basis
34 CFR §300.106 — ESY may be required when needed for FAPE, and teams generally consider ESY during annual review.
Before You Send This Letter
The strongest parent letters are calm, specific, and easy to answer. Use the template, but attach only the records that support this request.
Collect before-break and after-break examples before asking for ESY review.
Name the skill that regresses and how long recoupment takes.
Ask the team to review ESY individually rather than using a blanket rule.
Evidence to Attach
- Work samples, therapy data, parent notes, or dated videos if appropriate.
- Progress reports before and after school breaks.
- Provider notes about regression, recoupment, or skill maintenance.
Keep It Narrow
- Ask for ESY review for specific skills.
- Ask what regression and recoupment data the school has.
- Ask what level of service was considered if ESY is denied.
What Not to Say
Avoid: Accusations about why the school made the decision.
Try: Ask what data, records, or team discussion supports the decision.
Avoid: A request that tries to solve every school concern at once.
Try: Separate unrelated issues into short numbered requests or separate emails.
Avoid: My child has an IEP, so summer services should be automatic.
Try: Please review whether ESY is needed based on my child's regression and recoupment data.
Use This Letter When
Use this when the parent needs a service, related service, ESY, homebound, or make-up support reviewed. First pull service grid, related-service page, attendance, provider schedule, progress data, service logs, and parent examples.
Use the right letter
- Use this template when the parent needs a service, related service, ESY, homebound, or make-up support reviewed.
- Use a dispute guide first if you still need to decide whether to request records, a meeting, PWN, complaint, or local help.
- Use an IEP audit/checker first if you cannot yet identify the weak IEP page, missing data, or unclear wording.
- Keep the letter narrow: ask the IEP team to review what is written, what happened, and what support may be needed now.
What to Check
- Pull service grid, related-service page, attendance, provider schedule, progress data, service logs, and parent examples.
- Write down the date range, IEP section, school response, and one missing answer.
- Use the letter to ask the IEP team to review what is written, what happened, and what support may be needed now.
Red Flags
- The request relies on a verbal conversation but not the written record.
- The letter asks for a broad remedy before naming the IEP page, date range, or data source.
- The issue may affect services, evaluation, placement, discipline, safety, records, or complaint rights.
- The parent is about to send extra private information that is not needed for this request.
Documents to Gather
- Work samples, therapy data, parent notes, or dated videos if appropriate.
- Progress reports before and after school breaks.
- Provider notes about regression, recoupment, or skill maintenance.
Sample Finding
The record raises a real concern about services and support request, but it does not yet show the specific page, date, data source, and written school response needed for the team to answer safely.
Parent-Safe Sentence
"Please review service grid, related-service page, attendance, provider schedule, progress data, service logs, and parent examples and confirm in writing how the team will ask the IEP team to review what is written, what happened, and what support may be needed now."
The Letter Template
Copy & Customize
Dear [Special Education Director], I am writing to formally request that Extended School Year (ESY) services be considered for my child, [Child's Full Name], at the upcoming IEP meeting. I have observed the following evidence of regression during school breaks: • [Example 1 — e.g., "After winter break, it took 6 weeks to return to pre-break reading levels"] • [Example 2 — e.g., "Communication skills declined significantly during summer, requiring re-teaching of previously mastered content"] • [Example 3 — e.g., "Behavioral progress reversed after extended absences from school"] I request that the IEP team: 1. Review regression and recoupment data from the current school year 2. Consider my observations and documentation 3. Determine the appropriate level of ESY services Please review ESY eligibility on an individual basis rather than using a disability-category rule. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Date]
Pro Tips for Using This Letter
Start collecting regression data NOW — don't wait until the spring IEP meeting.
Take videos, keep work samples, and track skills before and after every break.
Ask the team to explain any ESY decision using individualized data rather than only a formula or checklist.
If denied, request PWN and review complaint options before choosing the next step.
What Happens After You Send This Letter
Save a copy of the letter and the delivery confirmation (email receipt or certified mail tracking). This is your evidence trail.
Mark your calendar for the response timeline that applies to this request in your state. If you do not hear back, send a written follow-up referencing the original date.
If they schedule a meeting in response, prepare just like you would for any IEP meeting. Bring a support person and ask for time to review anything you do not understand.
If they refuse or propose a change covered by Prior Written Notice, ask for the notice in writing so the decision and reasons are documented.
Upload your IEP for a free audit before the meeting. The review can flag written gaps and weak language worth discussing.
Not Sure What to Ask For?
A letter is stronger when it points to the written record. Upload your IEP to flag document sections worth referencing and questions worth raising.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send this eSY Request letter by email?
Who should I send a ESY Request letter template to?
What should I attach to this eSY Request request?
What if the school does not respond?
Do I need a lawyer to send this letter?
Audit your IEP before sending this letter
Find documented concerns first, then reference the relevant sections in your letter.
Review My IEP