The Montessori Foundation is a nonprofit 501-c-3 organization dedicated to the advancement of Montessori education in the United States and abroad.

Visit our website at www.montessori.org.

The mission of the Montessori Foundation is to nurture, inspire, and support the development of strong, successful Montessori schools around the world, and to help to build an international Montessori community of joyful, loving young people and adults, working together to build a world in which kindness, compassion, sanity, and peace can finally blossom.

The Montessori Foundation was established in 1992 to create an independent source of assistance, encouragement, and support for the international Montessori community.

The Montessori Foundation works with the entire Montessori community, regardless of affiliation, as well as parents, educators, schools, and schools systems who are interested in learning more about the insights, research, and approach pioneered by Dr. Maria Montessori.

The International Montessori Council: In 1998, The Montessori Foundation organized and continues to administer an independent membership organization for Montessori schools, parents, and educators around the world, The International Montessori Council, to offer a wide range of programs and support to Montessori schools around the world, including school accreditation, professional development for teachers and school administrators.

The International Montessori Council accredits Montessori schools, promotes best practices, encourages and recognizes innovative approaches to Montessori teacher education and professional leadership training. 

The Montessori Foundation and International Montessori Council work together with Montessori schools, parents, and local and national Montessori organizations to promote the mission of the Montessori movement to encourage partnership-based parenting, partnership-based Montessori schools, and the highest standards of Montessori education.

The Montessori Foundation reflects a heritage of international education and a commitment to the highest standards of Montessori program and curriculum development, the implementation of cutting edge educational technology, the development of a strong sense of community and family friendliness within our schools, and a return to Dr. Montessori's focus on building a better world by helping children discover their capacity to live in peace, learn without boundaries throughout their lifetimes, find meaningful work, and discover the joy of friendships and community.

The Montessori Foundation's Projects & Activities

Tomorrow's Child Magazine: The Montessori Foundation's first project was the creation of Tomorrow's Child, the one and only magazine written specifically for parents with children enrolled in Montessori schools. To our surprise, Tomorrow's Child is also enjoyed by Montessori teachers and administrators around the world.

We recognize parents as the true driving force behind the Montessori movement, potentially far more influential than teachers and administrators have been alone. We try to write in a loving, humorous, and hopefully entertaining fashion. Since it first began informing the Montessori community in 1994, Tomorrow's Child has developed a terrific following of more than 50,000 Montessori parents, teachers, and heads of schools around the world.

We offer Montessori schools the opportunity to buy Tomorrow's Child in bulk orders of 50 copies or more to send home with families as part of their parent education program for just the cost of our printing and shipping.

On-line School Directory: We offer a Directory of Montessori Schools which is available on-line.

Montessori Leadership Magazine: Montessori Leadership is our Montessori journal written specifically for Heads of Schools, educational coordinators, key parent leaders, and trustees.

Our Publications Center offers a growing collection of books and other materials of interest to Montessori teachers, parents, and heads of schools.

The Center for Montessori Leadership: Our Center for Montessori Leadership offers a broad program of in-depth and practical workshops and courses in Montessori leadership. We offer seminars on a wide range of topics, from school design to fund raising, recruitment, internal communications, and curriculum development.

The Montessori Academy for Peace: Since 1996 we have sponsored The Montessori Academy for Peace and its program of retreats, workshops, and symposiums on issues specifically connected to the development of Peaceful Children, Peaceful Families, and Peaceful School Communities.

The Montessori Help Line: Our Montessori Help Line (941-729-9565) offers counsel, without charge, when schools need a friendly ear and some advice. The only catch is that you will need to pay for the long distance call and it is possible that we may need to schedule your telephone conference for a time when a consultant is free from other duties.

The Montessori School Consultation Service: Our Montessori School Consultation Service provides a wealth of knowledge and experience when schools need more intensive on-site counsel.

We work with boards, Heads of Schools, and faculties. We consult with schools on such areas as finding a new head, designing new facilities for Montessori programs, fund raising, capital campaigns, the search for corporate and foundation support, marketing issues, the preparation of brochures and other publications, assistance in program and curriculum development.

Local Montessori Leadership Councils: Our Montessori Leadership Council helps schools to organize local support groups for Heads of Schools and key leadership staff. Leadership Councils are independent consortia of 4 to 12 Montessori schools whose leaders voluntarily form a close bond for fellowship, mutual growth, and cooperative projects for their schools.

Montessori Foundation Resource Library: Our On-line Resource Library offers an ever growing collections of on-line information and Montessori resources, including our Directory of Montessori schools, a list of teaching positions available nationwide, scores of articles and monographs, and an on-line link to our Montessori bookstore.

Some Examples of Our Publications Follow