Welcome

Mission Statement
 
The Exceptional Children's Program of Mount Airy City Schools provides specially designed instruction for students ages 3-21 who meet the criteria for one or more of the 14 disabling conditions recognized by the state of North Carolina. The mission of our program is to facilitate an educational environment in which students feel nurtured, supported, and enabled to pursue and experience opportunities for innovative, creative, and sustained learning. 
 
Scott Dollyhite
Director of Exceptional Children and Student Services
Mount Airy City Schools
(336) 786-8355
Parent Resources
 
NCDPI Exceptional Children's Division:  https://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/
 
 
Exceptional Children's Assitance Center:  https://www.ecac-parentcenter.org
 
 
National Center for Learning Disabilities:  https://www.ncld.org/
 
Autism Society of NC:  https://www.autismsociety-nc.org/
 
 
Parents Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities in Special Education

 Child Find

 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes the Project Child Find mandate.  The Project Child Find mandate applies to all children who reside within a state, including children who attend private and public schools, highly mobile children, migrant children, homeless children and children who are wards of the state. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3))  Child Find requires all school districts to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities.  

https://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/policies/project-child-find

If you know of a child with disabilities who is not in school or receiving special assistance, you can help by encouraging the parent/guardian to contact Scott Dollyhite or Kini Brindle at 336-786-8355

Student Transfer Information

Upon enrollment, inform the school’s guidance department that your student previously received special education services through an IEP.  If possible, please provide the school with a copy of your student’s current IEP. A request will also be sent to your student’s previous school district for all existing special education documentation.
 
The following will take place:
  1. In-State Transfers:  
    1. Your student’s current IEP from the previous district will be reviewed by their case manager and formally adopted until an IEP meeting takes place. 
  2. Out-of-State Transfers:  
    1. A case manager will be assigned to the student and will contact you in order to set up an IEP team meeting.
    2. Per NC policy, we will be obligated to go through an evaluation process to ensure that your student meets all NC eligibility criteria.  This process should be completed within 90 days from the initial date of enrollment.
    3. Your student will receive comparable services throughout the evaluation process.  
    4. Upon completion of the evaluation, the IEP team will review results and determine eligibility.  If deemed eligible, a new IEP will be created and adhered to from that point forward.

Parentally Placed Private/Home School Students

 

MACS provides services for eligible students qualifying with a disability under NC guidelines at a mutually agreed upon location during the instructional day.  These services are provided by a qualified employee of the Mount Airy City Schools.  If a student with a disability is enrolled in a private/home school by the child’s parents and will receive special education, a meeting will be conducted to develop a Services Plan for the child.  Mount Airy City Schools will ensure that representatives from the private or home school will attend this meeting.  Concerned parents can contact Scott Dollyhite at Mount Airy City Schools Exceptional Children's Department at 336-786-8355. 

 

*Please note: The regulations in 34 CFR §300.137(a) explicitly provide that children with disabilities enrolled by their parents in private schools do not have an individual right to receive some or all of the special education and related services they would receive if enrolled in the public schools.

 

More information can be found on our FAQ page.

 

 

 
Central Office Staff
336-786-8355
  • Scott Dollyhite-Director of Exceptional Children and Student Services
    [email protected]
  • Kini Brindle-Social Emotional Learning and Exceptional Children Compliance Coordinator [email protected]