Radford City Public Schools on Sept. 10 reported that its special-education program earned perfect scores on the Virginia state performance-plan measures for results and compliance, and described two new initiatives intended to expand postsecondary options and revenue sources for special-education services.

Daniel Hill, director of special education, told the board the division received a 40 out of 40 score on the state performance plan, and highlighted an 83% graduation rate for students with disabilities in the reporting window that predated the most recent year’s results. "The state target was 72.24% … we hit that at 83 percent," Hill said, adding that the division’s graduates with disabilities had earned standard or advanced diplomas and that the results reflect long-term work dating back to 2017.

Hill presented two related initiatives. First, he described an on-campus transition partnership with Radford University and Montgomery County Public Schools for postgraduate students with significant cognitive disabilities. The board approved a memorandum of agreement at the meeting; Hill said three Radford students were slated to begin the program the following Monday. The MOA links Radford and Montgomery County with Radford University to allow eligible students to participate in campus-based classes, mentoring and campus therapies as part of their postsecondary transition services.

Second, Hill outlined the division’s plan to begin billing Medicaid for Medicaid-eligible school-based services (therapy, nursing, counseling and certain administrative services) using a contractual arrangement with Piedmont Regional Educational Program. Hill said the division has obtained parent consents and signed an agreement under which Piedmont would bill Medicaid on the district’s behalf and retain a 15% administrative fee from recovered funds; the district intends to reinvest net proceeds into special-education programs.

Hill said both initiatives build on prior collaboration with Montgomery County and Radford University and the division’s long-term effort to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Board members approved the MOA by motion and voice vote during the meeting and expressed unanimous support for efforts to expand postsecondary opportunities and to capture Medicaid reimbursement where authorized and consented by parents.

Hill and the superintendent said the Medicaid billing work remains administrative and procedural; it requires parent consent and does not change student eligibility for services. The division will continue to update the board as implementation proceeds.