Some Brunswick parents are pushing back against the school department’s recent decision to reschedule and reduce hours for its extended school year service for special education students.

Christy Shake and her son, Calvin. Shake is speaking out against changes to a school summer service her son attends. Courtesy of Christy Shake

The service is offered each summer to prevent regression of skills students learned during the school year. Last year, the service was offered from mid-July through mid-August for five weeks, at up to three hours a day, four days a week, for a total of 60 hours. This summer, the service is planned to start June 27 and run for four weeks at up to three hours a day, three days a week, for a total of 36 hours.

Christy Shake said the service is essential for her 19-year-old son Calvin, who is autistic, nonverbal and has cerebral palsy.

“He needs so much help,” Shake said.

Attending school during the summer helps Calvin maintain a routine and work on his communication and socialization skills, she said.

“There are literally no other programs for our children to attend in the summer,” she said.

Shake is concerned about the shorter hours and larger gap between the end of the service and beginning of the next school year.

“I’m not sure how that translates into less regression,” she said. “It’s a significant cut.”

Superintendent Phil Potenziano said the service was shifted to the beginning of summer in an effort to increase attendance. Last year, about 100 special education students were eligible for the service, but only 56% of those students participated, he said.

“Our decision to move the calendar for (the extended school year) is to make it more targeted, more effective and to ensure the highest level of participation is the right thing to do,” Potenziano said in an email, adding financial considerations did not play a role in the change.

He emphasized the service is tailored to each student and the hours each year are a framework that can vary. Some students attend for only a half-hour a week, while at least one student was offered an additional week this summer for a total of 45 hours.

Michelle Rudgers’ 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, has Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes developmental delays. Like Shake, Rudgers said the service is vital for her daughter and is worried about the changes planned this summer.

“When she’s out of the school routine, she regresses,” Rudgers said.

She said when she brought her concerns to school staff, they offered her daughter another week this summer.

“The more the better,” Rudgers said. “But I would prefer another two weeks.”

Shake said she is meeting with school staff this week to request more weeks for her son.

“I’m hopeful that they will give us at least another week,” she said. “I wish they would give us two to three more weeks.”

She said in prior years, the service was offered for up to 80 hours.

“It just seems like services are continuing to be whittled away and we don’t have any recourse,” she said.

Potenziano emphasized students are assessed on a case-by-case basis for the service.

“We will continue to strive to ensure that (extended school year) decisions are based on the child’s own needs, with a focus on minimizing regression,” he said.