Starting a New Montessori School From The Ground Up

A comprehensive Course and Coaching

Anyone who wants to start a new Montessori school, or convert an existing child-care center into a Montessori school, will find this course invaluable.


This course is designed for people who are just beginning to work on developing a new Montessori school or converting an existing day-care to Montessori. If you are looking to extend an existing school to higher levels or take your existing school to a whole new level of excellence, then your needs would be better served by our Building a World-Class Montessori School course.

Note: This is a course presented online. It requires an investment of approximately 5 hours a week to read the materials, watch the videos, and complete the assignments. Class participation in the discussion forums is essential to truly take advantage of not only the prepared content, but to explore your prospective project, ask questions, and interact with other students. Additionally, the Montessori Foundation offers a series of optional weekly webinars on Wednesdays at 1 PM East Coast time in the United States. Many of these live sessions make be of interest and value to participants in the course. Questions are encouraged.

PLEASE NOTE: 

This course is not the preparation to teach a Montessori class. It is aimed at school leaders and founders, with the assumption that you will be hiring Montessori-certified teachers.


To succeed, Montessori schools need to achieve a level of excellence, stability, and widespread public appeal, which makes them highly attractive to prospective parents and teachers. So often, though, schools struggle, primarily because they continue to compromise their programs and principles in hope of becoming more attractive to parents. This course makes the case for courage, conviction, and consistency. The premise is that there is a Montessori way that we can (and must) follow to produce, time and time again, the results that made Montessori schools famous around the world. We will sketch out the specific elements of best practice that can lead your school to greater success in everything it does.

The Montessori Foundation has worked with hundreds of Montessori schools around the world, helping them to clarify their philosophy and develop the highest levels of Montessori curriculum and practice. This course will also provide an incredibly in-depth overview of all of the Montessori Foundation’s other courses in Montessori school leadership, along with a host of specific strategies and tools that will help chart the best course for your school’s future.

We do not provide a precise syllabus because we customize the course to a large extent to respond to the interests, needs, and concerns of the students enrolled. Topics covered typically include:

  • Understanding Montessori Education
  • Why start a Montessori school?
  • What is a World-Class Montessori School?
  • Abundance Thinking
  • The Nine Areas of School Operation
  • Clarity is the Key to Success
  • Prioritizing and sequencing what you need to do
  • A community of support and inspiration.
  • Legal Structures
  • Your Business Plan
  • Ownership and Governance
  • The Importance of Environment
  • Facilities
  • Equipping your classroom(s)
  • Curriculum design and systems to record student progress and report it to parents
  • Staffing your school – important principles and ethical issues
  • Administration/School Leadership
  • Marketing and Recruiting – Finding the Perfect Match

Course curriculum

  • 01

    Introduction and first concepts

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  • 02

    The big picture of starting a new Montessori school!

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  • 03

    Clarity is the key to success

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    • Clarity is the Key to Success (text and video)
    • The Five Blind Men and the Elephant
    • The Blind Men and the Elephant
    • Essential Elements Of Montessori Programs
    • Fundamental Principles
    • The Price We Pay When We Are Not True To Our Core Values
    • Following the Rhumb Line
    • Activity: Clarity is the key to success
  • 04

    What Makes a School 'Montessori'?

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    • What Makes a School Montessori? Part 1
    • What Makes a School Montessori? Part 2
    • What is Montessori?
    • Montessori and Traditional Education Compared
    • Maria Montessori- A Historical Perspective
    • Important Aspects of a Montessori School
    • The Integrated Montessori Curriculum
    • Fundamental Principles of Montessori Education
    • Some Definitions of Montessori
    • Basic elements of the Montessori approach
    • A Glimpse Into a Traditional Educator’s Thoughts
    • Is it Montessori?
    • Is Montessori a cookbook or a scientifically-based approach?
    • Thinking Broadly About Your School's Educational_program
  • 05

    The Scope & Scale of Your New School

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    • When do you want to open?
    • When do you want to open?
    • What's the plan?
    • Costs to establish a new school
    • Define the Distinct Educational Elements of Your Montessori Program
    • Developing a Business Plan Part 1
    • Developing a Business plan Part: 2 Setting Tuition
    • Year-round Montessori School Programs
    • Developing Your Business Plan
    • Will You Offer a Summer Program?
    • Will You Offer Enrichment Programs?
    • instructional Leadership...
    • Need for Montessori Expertise Part 1
    • Need for Montessori Expertise Part 2
    • What Makes a Private school Different From Other Businesses?
    • A school is nothing but people
    • Market Research and Competitive Analysis
    • Setting Tuition Strategically
  • 06

    World class Montessori Schools

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    • World Class Montessori Schools
    • Unacceptable Compromise
    • Turning Dreams into Reality – How to Build a World Class Montessori School
    • What is a World class Montessori School?
    • Vision, Mission, Aims Statements
    • The Importance of Fully Implemented Montessori
    • Montessori Fidelity in Practice
    • The Nine Areas of School Operation - Graphic
    • A Blueprint of a Montessori School's Fundamental Values
    • The need for deep Montessori expertise as you develop a new Montessori school - Part 1
    • The need for deep Montessori expertise as you develop a new Montessori school - Part 2
  • 07

    Legal Structure

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    • What Will Be Your School's Organizational Structure
    • Types of legal structures for schools
    • Choosing Your Legal Structure
    • Why you should consider going non-profit
    • What Government Agencies Will Regulate Your School?
    • Confirming the rules under which your new school will need to operate
    • Types of Legal Structures
    • Getting a License for Your New School
    • Getting a License - Which Agencies Will Oversee Your School?
    • What is an S Corporation vs a C corporation in the USA?
  • 08

    Montessori Charter Schools

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    • What are charter schools?
    • Essential Elements for Montessori in the Public Sector
    • Starting a charter school Part 1 (Optional)
    • Legal Structure for a Charter School (Optional)
    • Legal Structure for a Charter Montessori School Part 2 (Optional)
    • Starting a Charter School Part 3 (Optional)
  • 09

    Finding or creating the right facilities for your school

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    • What kind of facilities does your school need?
    • Describing Your Facility Needs
    • A Home For Children - The Montessori Prepared Environment
    • Montessori Classroom Design
    • The Effects of The Physical Environment on Children's Development
    • Building Your Own Facility
    • Gallagher campus design
    • Looking Through a New Lens on The Outdoor Environment
    • Leasing as an option
    • Leasing? Get a First Right of Refusal Part 1
  • 10

    Finances

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    • financial projection
    • Seldin Making it all add up
    • How many students
    • Compile a SWOT Analysis for Your School
    • 2013 The Montessori Materials
    • Basic Recommended Montessori Materials Elemenary 2001
    • The Adult in the Environment
    • Sample letter holding family to contract
    • Some Words of Advice on Purchasing Materials
    • Initial Investment and Renovation
    • Using passenger vans
    • A Break-Even Analysis Lesson and Calculation Tool From The Harvard Business School
    • Enrollment Agreements - Managing Tuition Payments
    • Setting Tuition Strategically
    • Strategic Tuition Presentation
  • 11

    Recruiting Teachers and Staff

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    • Finding the perfect match - staff
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff: How Many People Will You Need?
    • How Many Teachers
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff Part 1
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff 2: Montessori Teachers Can Be Hard to Find
    • Teacher pupil ratio ccma
    • The Ethics of Recruiting Teachers and Staff Who Work at Another School
    • Some sample job descriptions
    • What a Montessori Teacher Needs to Be
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff: Where to Run Ads
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff: How to Present Your School to Prospective Candidates
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff: Screening Candidates Part 1
    • Screening Candidates: Going Through Resumes Part 1
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff: Screening Candidates - Going Through Resumes Part 2
    • Finding the Perfect Match: Finding Great Elementary Montessori Teachers
    • Screening Candidates Part 3 Don't Rush The Process
    • Hiring Assistant Teachers Part 2
    • Recruiting Teachers and Staff: Screening Candidates Part 2
    • Payroll - hourly vs salaried employees
    • Screening Candidates Part 1: Going Through Resumes
    • Screening Candidates Part 2: Going Through Resumes
    • Screening Candidates Part 3: Going Through Resumes
    • Screening Candidates Part 4: The Interview Process
    • Sample Employment Agreement
    • Free Tuition and Other Teacher Benefits
    • Staff Handbooks
    • Sample Employee Handbook
    • Hiring Assistant Teachers Part 1
    • Hiring Assistant Teachers Part 2
    • Hiring Assistant Teachers Checking Resumes Part 1
    • Hiring Assistant Teachers Checking Resumes Part 2
    • Orienting Teachers and Staff Part 1
    • Orienting Teachers and Staff Part 2
  • 12

    Marketing and Recruitment

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    • Recruiting Families for Your School
    • Introduction to Marketing Your School
    • Marketing: The Total Concept
    • Marketing Your School - What is it that you are selling?
    • Marketing Your School
    • What Will You Be Selling in Your School?
    • Your School's Logo
    • Refining The Marketing Message
    • Communicating the Benefits of Your School's Program
    • Recruitment: Making The Phone Ring
    • Admissions: How You Will Meet People
    • How Your School Can Get its Message Across to the Community
    • Advertising in the Montessori world
    • Sample Pamphlets
    • Montessori Poster Handing the World to Child
    • Marketiing What is it that we are selling?-Apple Devices HD (Best Quality)
    • Recruitment: Differentiating Your School
    • Don't Sell Montessori - Sell Your Unique School!
    • Sample Full Page Ad The Field School
    • Marketing and Recruitment: Additional Ways to Get the Word Out About Your New School
  • 13

    The Admissions and Enrollment Process

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    • The Application Process
    • Admissions Process Flowchart
    • Admissions: Young Parents May Not Know What They Want Part 1
    • Admissions: Young Parents May Not Know What They Want Part 2
    • Admissions: Is the Parent a Good Fit? - Part 1
    • Admissions: Is the Parent a Good Fit - Part 2
    • Admissions: Is the Parent a Good Fit - Part 3
    • Admissions: Weekly Group Open Houses
    • Giving Families A School Tour - Described by Jonathon Wolf
    • Giving Families A School Tour Part 2 - - Described by Jonathon Wolf
    • The Next Steps After a First Visit
    • Admissions: Look For Families Who Are Willing To Invest In Their Child's Education
    • Why Both Parents Need To Be Involved In the Admission Process
    • Admissions: Your Expectations For The Parent School Relationship
    • Admissions: The Open House Or Tour - Described by Tim Seldin
  • 14

    Setting Tuition & Enrollment Agreements

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    • Some thoughts about tuition
    • Setting Tuition
    • Preparing Your Enrollment (And Re-enrollment) Agreements Part 1
    • Enrollment Agreements: Structuring Tuition Payments
    • Enrollment Agreements: Managing Tuition Payments
    • Nonrefundable Tuition Deposit
    • Should you offer a sliding scale tuition plan?
    • Sample Financial Aid Policy
    • Enrollment Agreements and Parent-School Covenants
    • Sample Permission For Use of Photographs and Video In Promotional Material
  • 15

    Building Your School Community

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    • Monitoring How New Children Are Settling In
    • Relationship with Parents, Greeting a New Family
    • Building Community: Respond to Concerns Quickly
    • Helping Parents Understand How Following Procedures Benefits Their Child
    • Building Community: Parent Associations
    • Parent Education
    • Parent Teacher Relations
    • Teacher Attitude Towards Parents
    • Teachers Informing Parents of the Scope of Montessori
    • Addressing Differences of Opinion With Parents
    • Pre-Year Meeting Between Parents And Teachers About Expectations
    • Creating a Collaborative Community - Part 1
    • Creating A Collaborative Community - Part 2
    • Creating A Collaborative Community - Part 3
  • 16

    The Administrative Team

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    • How to prepare for and run challenging school meetings with your teachers and:or parents