Research: Does it work?

A directory of Montessori-related research

No question is asked more frequently or less likely to receive a good response.

We list some sources for looking at various studies, but we consider it unwise to suggest that definitive research has been performed.

First, Montessori education is not about test scores and most educational research focuses on that. Montessori education, properly practiced, is about the full development of young people and that cannot be easily measured, if measured at all.

Second, most public Montessori programs experience significant selection biases—parents almost always have to choose the school. This will bias any results, even those that compare Montessori students with others who applied to the program, as with the Milwaukee public school research.

Still, many schools, especially charter schools, need to say something. Here are some places to start.

AMS

AMI

NAMTA

Other sources

Consultants

Press coverage

What can we say?