Q: Are all Montessori schools part of the same chain or franchise system?

No. Unfortunately, Maria Montessori did not trademark her name and -- as such -- no controls are put on its use.

In fact, of the thousands of schools bearing the Montessori name in this country, only about 4% offer teachers and classroom materials certified by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), the organization founded by Dr. Montessori to ensure that the method is properly implemented.

The International Montessori Preschools, however, are proud to offer both AMI-certified instructors and materials.