FAQs

No. Any school can call itself a Montessori school but Marin Montessori School’s accreditation from the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) ensures that MMS adheres to the highest standards of Montessori principles and methodology. We are one of just two AMI schools in Marin County.

Dr. Maria Montessori founded Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) in 1929 to protect the integrity of her work. AMI has remained the worldwide authority on Montessori education and practice.

AMI accreditation indicates that our school performs according to the highest standards of the Montessori philosophy, receives regular consultations from trained and qualified AMI consultants and is staffed by qualified AMI teachers and administrators.

We seek to enroll approximately 22 children at the Toddler level (18 months – 30 months) and 30 children at the Primary level (2 ½ - 6 years old) each year. Most children enter our program around the age of three and continue on through Junior High school. Our Elementary and Junior High level classrooms are largely filled by students who have completed our Primary program. Openings vary from year to year.

In our school, each classroom is set up as a multi-age community. A student usually spends three years in a classroom before moving on to the next level. For example, a child will enter a Primary classroom when he/she is 3 years old and remain in that classroom until he/she moves up to Lower Elementary (1st to 3rd grade). A child’s “kindergarten” year is the last year in his/her Primary classroom. Any spaces at the “kindergarten” year are based on attrition, as most students enter the Primary level at the age of three and continue through the Junior High level.

We have a wait pool when we receive more applications than available spots. Often our programs do have a wait pool after the priority admissions period. It is called a wait pool because students in the pool are not ranked. When a space becomes available, the Admissions Committee considers many factors and fills the space accordingly.

Our Sustainable Tuition Program enables families who might find our standard tuition fees a challenge to pay an amount that is thoughtfully calibrated to their financial standing. This ensures that the power of the MMS education is accessible to all.

Here's how it works:

• Thorough Assessment: Families submit financial details via our financial assessment tool, Clarity, which evaluates various factors to determine an “Expected Family Contribution.” The consideration is not solely numerical but also appreciates the unique circumstances of each family.

• Consistent Support: Upon being awarded Tuition Assistance, MMS pledges to continue tailoring the tuition in alignment with your family’s yearly "Expected Family Contribution," subject to annual reapplication.

Tuition Assistance is available for families in Primary, Elementary, and Junior High. 

Tuition Assistance Award Letters are sent with Re-Enrollment Agreements for returning families, or with the Acceptance Letter for new families.

For more details, click here.

The Level Directors, teaching faculty, and Admissions Director determine the best placement for each child. We consider the needs of each individual child and the needs of the existing classroom community. Once your child is placed, he/she will remain in the same classroom within his/her level.

We strive to give every child a diverse and realistic view of the world. We are committed to offering the broadest possible experience to our students and families by maintaining a diverse community that reflects the variety of experience, culture, development and physical abilities, economic diversity, lifestyles and philosophies in the Bay Area.