The short answer to Are Montessori school accredited? is: some are, but most are not.
Given that most Montessori school are not accredited, I think it is important to know why or why not, whether that should matter to you, and how to find a high-quality school regardless of accreditation status. That is what I will discuss in this blog post. However, if finding and accredited school is important to you, you can look for AMI, AMS, or IMC accredited schools.
Should I care if my Montessori School is Accredited?
I was a Montessori student as a child, and I did not send my own children to accredited Montessori schools, and I do not currently work at an accredited school. I do not think this is the most important factor in finding a good Montessori school. The reality is, accredited programs tend to be costly and time-consuming for schools. Small, community-based schools (as opposed to schools with corporate support with branches all over the world) may not be able to afford the accreditation process and ongoing financial and time committments. This does not mean it is not a good school. For example, of the 17,000 AMS Member schools, only 15% of them are fully accredited. This tells me that even among dedicated, AMS trained teachers, accreditation remains largely unattainable for most.
What should I look for in a great Montessori program?
Firstly, you need to go beyond the name Montessori. It is important to realize the term “Montessori” is not trademarked. This means any school can use the term Montessori even if they do not have much (or ANYTHING) to do with the philosophy.
Secondly, the school MUST have certified Montessori lead teachers and demonstrate a commitment to adherence to the Montessori philosophy. You will want to see that the lead teacher in your child(tens) classroom have what is called Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) certified teachers.
Here is a list MACTE-approved organizations that train Montessori teachers:
- American Montessori Society (AMS)
- Association Montessori International (AMI)
- Association Montessori International – USA (AMI-USA)
- Christian Montessori Fellowship (CMF)
- Independents Not In A Consortium (IND)
- International Association for Progressive Montessori (IAPM)
- International Montessori Council (IMC)
- Montessori Australia (MA)
- Montessori Educational Programs International (MEPI)
- Montessori Institute of America (MIA)
- Pan American Montessori Society (PAMS)
While even among certified teachers there can be some differences in how Montessori philosophy is interpreted and carried out, you may want to review what some MACTE organizations have set for classroom standards both AMS and AMI have set as standards for Montessori classrooms:
AMS Standards
“The American Montessori Society recognizes 5 components as essential to quality programs: properly trained Montessori teachers, multi-age classrooms, use of specially designed Montessori learning materials, child-directed work, and uninterrupted work periods.”
Intangible Standards
Even if a school is accredited and even if they seem to meet all the standards, I believe families need to visit a school in-person, with their children, during a regular school day, meet with teachers and feel completely welcomed by a school. You need to have your questions answered and you should feel mostly comfortable (jitters about sending your child to school for the first time is normal, but getting a bad feeling, or being talked down to or like the person you are meeting with is an expert and you just need to trust them are red flags, in my opinion). Most schools will have current or past families who have attended their program willing to talk about their experience there – feel free to ask for a referral.
I have put together a checklist PDF about How to Choose a Montessori Preschool. Feel free to download it to aid in your search – best of luck!
