Exceptional Services

We’re Here for You

North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA) offers exceptional children’s services to support and meet their needs, empowering them to thrive in school and beyond. With high-quality, personalized learning and the help of teachers and support staff, exceptional children can achieve their academic goals, find their confidence, and pave a path to success.

Child Find and Confidentiality

The Child Find process identifies, locates, and evaluates children with disabilities as well as gifted students. Confidentiality of educational records is a basic right shared by all children in public schools and their parents. These fundamental rights are described in FERPA, which applies to all students, not just those with disabilities. Learn more.

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights regarding the student’s education records. Learn more.

McKinney-Vento Act

NCVA complies with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, which is a federal law that ensures enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. Learn more.

Multilingual Learners

For students who require English language support, NCVA provides an English as a Second Language Program. Learn more.

Multiple Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

NCVA implements the MTSS framework for students who need more support or greater challenge to make academic gains.

Information about Multi-Tiered System of Support can be found in the NCVA Parent Student Handbook 2023-2024 [PDF]

Privacy Policy

To maintain privacy of students’ special education records, both within its central office and across school systems and databases, NCVA follows protocols consistent with the federal regulations associated with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). For additional information about the privacy and security guidelines for your child’s educational records.

Notice of these rights is available, upon request, on audiotape, in Braille, and in languages other than English. Should you need further assistance or information regarding any of these accommodations, please contact Stacey Bryant, academic administrator – special programs, at sbryant@ncvacademy.org, or any member of your child’s NCVA team for guidance.

Procedural Safeguards: Handbook on Parents’ Rights

Parents and children have many rights under the Exceptional Children law, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is important that parents and children understand their rights to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The term “appropriate” is based on the educational needs of the individual child that are outlined in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is deemed a working document created by a team of educators and the family that establishes goals for a child to achieve in order to succeed.

It is the responsibility of the school to provide parents with notice of their rights in an understandable language. Parents also have a responsibility to participate in the education of their children. Parents do so by participating in meetings and giving consent to allow the school to provide the supports and services that both the parents and school agree are necessary for a child to be successful.  

Parents will be provided a copy of the state parental rights notification at least once a year and at the following events; 

  • Parent Request.
  • Annual IEP meeting.
  • Initial referral or parental request for evaluation.
  • Receipt of the first state complaint.
  • Receipt of the first due process hearing request.

To read more, please see NCVA Exceptional Children Procedures Manual 5. Procedural Safeguards and Parent and Student Rights [PDF].

The Parent Rights & Responsibilities in Special Education [PDF] contains a full explanation of the STATE procedural safeguards (legal rights) provided for you and your child with a disability. Acronyms and terms often used in special education and resources for parents are found in the appendices. This handbook is, also, available in Spanish as the Derechos Y Responsabilidades De Los Padres De Familia En Educacion Especial [PDF].

Request for Parent/ Guardian Interpreter Services or Disability Accommodations

Parents and guardians of students with disabilities may request professional interpreter services at any time for by contacting Stacey Bryant, Special Programs Manager.

Additionally, if any parent/ guardian has a disability or other limitation that would impact their ability to participate fully in their child’s educational planning process, NCVA would be happy to discuss accommodations that may be available to maximize the parent/ guardian’s participation. Individuals seeking to discuss accommodations for this reason may contact Stacey Bryant, ADA Compliance Coordinator.

Section 504 Education Policy: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

NCVA’s policy is to provide a free and appropriate public education to each student with a disability enrolled in the school, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. Learn more.

Staff Contacts

Paige Adams, Student Resource Coordinator
McKinney-Vento Liaison, Migrant Program Coordinator, and Foster Care Point of Contact
4220 NC Highway 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
padams@ncvacademy.org
919.346.0121, ext. 2030

Stacey Bryant, Academic Administrator for Special Programs 
ADA Compliance Coordinator and Special Programs Manager
4220 NC Highway 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
sbryant@ncvacademy.org
919.346.0121, ext. 1009

Casie Copple, ESL Coordinator
4220 NC Highway 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
ccopple@ncvacademy.org
919.346.0121, ext. 1029

Laura Gray Lefcoski, 504 Coordinator
4220 NC Highway 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
llefcoski@ncvacademy.org
919.346.0121, ext. 2122

Website for North Carolina Exceptional Children Division

https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/classroom-resources/exceptional-children