Every school here says Montessori. Here’s how to tell what that means.
Any school can call itself Montessori. That is why the labels, the teacher training and what you actually see in the classroom matter. Use this guide at every school on your list, including ours. It's a checklist, not a ranking.
AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) and AMS (American Montessori Society) are two Montessori organizations. AMI is known for close adherence to Maria Montessori’s original training and materials. AMS allows more adaptation to modern practice. Neither is automatically better; the quality of an individual school’s teachers and classrooms matters most, so parents should observe a work period on a tour.
AMI recognition means a school follows the standards of Association Montessori Internationale. Learn more at montessori-ami.org.
An AMS member school belongs to the American Montessori Society and uses its resources and professional development. AMS accreditation is a separate, voluntary review of a school against AMS standards. Young Minds Montessori, with campuses in Cedar Park and Leander, is an AMS member school, and its Heads of School hold AMS credentials. See amshq.org for AMS's own explanation.
Ask which Montessori credential each lead teacher holds and from which program. Common ones include AMS and AMI credentials, certificates from MACTE-accredited training programs, and NAMC credentials. Each signals that a teacher completed Montessori-specific training. At Young Minds, credentials are listed with each person on Our Team.
Our tour guide has more.
These are practices to ask about, not verdicts on any school.
Read more about our school, or book a tour.
Fill in one column per school. Print this page.
| Question | School 1 | School 2 | School 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name and address | |||
| AMS / AMI status | |||
| Lead guide credentials | |||
| Mixed ages? | |||
| Length of work period | |||
| Ratios | |||
| Half-day / full-day | |||
| Communication with families | |||
| Could I observe a work period? | |||
| How it felt |
AMI is known for close adherence to Maria Montessori's original training and materials, and AMS allows more adaptation to modern practice. Neither is automatically better.
Membership means a school belongs to AMS and uses its resources. Accreditation is a separate, voluntary review against AMS standards. Young Minds is an AMS member school.
Ask about the specific Montessori credential and training program for each lead teacher: AMS, AMI, MACTE-accredited programs or NAMC.
A calm work cycle, mixed ages, accessible materials and a guide who observes and offers short lessons.
See the list above, and our tour guide.
Worksheets or screens as the main activity, single-age classes, and reluctance to let you observe.
Use the checklist above at every school and compare what you see and hear.
A personal tour takes about 30 minutes, and your child is welcome.