What Rivermont Schools does

Rivermont Schools is a private therapeutic education organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in the University of Richmond area of Virginia. The company operates 17 campuses across Virginia serving 1,031 K-12 students (ages 5 to 22) with autism spectrum disorder and emotional/behavioral disabilities, contracted through partnerships with 92 Virginia public school districts. Rivermont delivers a unified service model that combines autism support and emotional support programs within integrated classroom environments rather than maintaining separate tracks, supplemented by therapeutic services including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, counseling, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

The organization's service delivery is built on proprietary evidence-based frameworks: the Three P's Framework (Preventative, Proactive, Predictable), the BARKS Matrix schoolwide behavior system, and RTSS (Rivermont's Tiered System of Support) — a data-driven framework using behavioral dashboards to identify students requiring tiered interventions. Staff employ ABA, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), trauma-informed practice, and Social-Emotional Learning methodologies. The technology layer is operational rather than algorithmic: data journals track student academic and behavioral progress via STAR diagnostic assessments, and a Bulldog Bucks token economy reinforces behavioral expectations. The company holds 25-year Cognia accreditation at its Lynchburg Creekside campus and complies with FERPA, HIPAA, Section 508, and WCAG 2.0 standards.

Rivermont is operated by Salisbury Management LLC (DBA New Story Management), a Maryland-based entity that provides centralized infrastructure across the New Story network of specialized education brands. The company generates revenue through contractual service agreements with Virginia school districts for specialized education placements, plus In-District Services where Rivermont staff are embedded within partner districts to deliver Specialized Support Services and School-Based Programming. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per district service agreement. The organization is privately held with no venture capital, private equity, or public market participation disclosed, having grown organically over 40 years. Recent strategic moves include the September 2025 Sterling campus opening in Reston, VA, and the announced 2026-2027 relocation of the Danville campus to a 20,000+ sq. ft. facility.

Name

Rivermont Schools

Legal name

Salisbury Management LLC

Website

https://rivermontschools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rivermont Schools is a private Virginia-based therapeutic education organization operating 17 campuses that serve over 1,000 K-12 students with autism and emotional disabilities through contracts with 92 Virginia public school districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Emotional & Behavioral Disorders (EBD) / Therapeutic Day Schools (EDAKAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Court/Community School Programs (Diversion, Probation-Linked, Community Day Schools) (EDAJAEAI), School-Based Mental Health Therapy (Licensed Clinicians) (EDAKAMAD), ABA Therapy Providers (School-Based) (EDAKAHAC), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Autism support programs
• Emotional support schools
• Therapeutic education services
• Behavioral intervention programs

Headquarters

HQ city

University Of Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Services Revenue: Rivermont Schools generates revenue through contracts with school districts for specialized educational services. The organization partners with 92 districts to support students with special needs, providing individualized instruction, positive behavioral supports, and clinical services. Revenue is generated through educational service agreements with public school districts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rivermont Schools operates therapeutic day schools across Virginia serving students aged 5 to 22 with autism spectrum disorder and emotional/behavioral disabilities. The organization delivers specialized academic instruction aligned with Virginia standards, combined with clinical therapeutic services (Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Counseling) and evidence-based behavioral interventions (ABA, PBIS, Trauma-Informed Approach). It operates 17 campuses and In-District programs through partnerships with 92 Virginia school districts, providing a unified autism and emotional support continuum designed to help students transition back to less restrictive settings.

Product overview

Rivermont Schools operates as a unified educational platform offering specialized programs for students aged 5 to 22 with behavioral, emotional, and educational challenges. The organization provides a comprehensive continuum of services across Virginia through 17+ campuses. The core offering consists of Autism Support and Emotional Support educational programs, supplemented by therapeutic services including Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis. Behavioral support is delivered through Trauma-Informed Approaches, Social-Emotional Learning, School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS), and Counseling Services. Additionally, In-District Services allow Rivermont to extend specialized support and school-based programming directly into partner school districts, enabling students to receive services while maintaining connections to their home schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Autism Support Program Specialized day-school educational program for students aged 5 to 22 with autism spectrum disorder, providing individualized academic instruction aligned with Virginia standards, behavioral supports, and therapeutic services within a structured learning environment. Sold as a contracted service to Virginia public school districts.
• Emotional Support Program Specialized day-school educational program for students aged 5 to 22 with emotional and behavioral challenges, providing therapeutic interventions, trauma-informed care, counseling, and behavioral support to develop regulation and coping skills. Sold as a contracted service to Virginia public school districts.
• Occupational Therapy

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% attendance rate across Rivermont Schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reston Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2025Partnership for ribbon cutting ceremony and open house at the new Sterling campus in Reston, VA. The event was attended by distinguished guests including Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra and Diana Diaz-Harrison from the U.S. Department of Education.
• Virginia School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Rivermont Schools partners with 92 Virginia school districts to deliver data-driven special education and therapeutic supports. The partnership provides districts with specialized education capacity, outcome reporting, and a continuum of services to help students build skills and transition to less restrictive settings. Districts report 100% satisfaction with Rivermont's services.
• Virginia General AssemblyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirginia General Assembly established Specialized Education School Week (October 5-11) through Senate Joint Resolution 261 (SJ261), recognizing the vital role specialized schools play in Virginia's education continuum.
• U.S. Department of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiana Diaz-Harrison, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, attended the Sterling campus ribbon cutting ceremony.
• Salisbury Management, Inc. (New Story Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRivermont Schools is part of the New Story network, operated by Salisbury Management, Inc. DBA New Story Management. This parent organization provides operational infrastructure, privacy policies, terms of service, and centralized management across multiple specialized education brands.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• n2y: Provider of special education curriculum, instruction, and therapy tools used by schools serving students with significant disabilities. Enabling/adjacent peer serving the same clinical population with technology rather than facility-based services.
• Ombudsman Educational Services: Provides alternative education programs including credit recovery and behavioral/therapeutic supports for at-risk youth, often through district partnerships. Comparable GTM via district contracts.

Regional players

• Laradon: Colorado-based nonprofit operating specialized schools and day programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates a therapeutic special education model in a single region, similar to Rivermont's geographic scope.

Direct peers

• New Story Schools: Sister organization within the New Story network operated by Salisbury Management, providing therapeutic day schools for students with autism and emotional/behavioral needs in other states. Closest operational and methodological peer.
• The Menta Group: Operates therapeutic day schools and alternative education programs for students with emotional, behavioral, and learning needs across multiple states, including public-private partnership arrangements with school districts.
• ChanceLight Behavioral Health, Therapy & Education: National provider of behavioral health, therapy, and alternative education services for K-12 students, including school-based and center-based programs. Directly competes with Rivermont's autism and emotional support offerings at scale.
• Specialized Education Services Inc (SESI): Operates specialized K-12 programs for students with autism, emotional disturbances, and other disabilities, including private day schools and in-district services. Closely comparable clinical-academic model to Rivermont.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: National nonprofit operating specialized schools and residential programs for children with autism, emotional/behavioral disorders, and intellectual disabilities. Therapeutic school model directly comparable to Rivermont.

Broad incumbents

• Stride (formerly K12 Inc): Large online and blended K-12 operator serving special education populations through tuition-free online public schools. Adjacent model serving similar populations with different delivery mechanism.
• Catapult Learning: Larger national provider of special education, Title I, and professional learning services to K-12 schools and districts. Overlaps with Rivermont's In-District Specialized Support Services but at much broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RivermontSchoolsVA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rivermont-schools
• Instagraminstagram.com/rivermontschools/?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rivermont Schools