Extended School Year for the Handicapped: Is It Working?

Extended school year programs for handicapped students have been advocated in order to maintain or increase their skill levels and provide them with recreational activities. This article analyzes the results of 18 extended school year programs in the state of Washington and concludes that some handicapped students do lose skills over the summer months and that extended school year programs can, at times, increase students' skill levels. The authors maintain that the true impact of extended school year programs on student performance can only be measured at the end of the next school year. An evaluation design is suggested in order to determine whether or not extended school year programs are successful.