Montessori education is the oldest and most widely implemented alternative education in the world and includes a full system of lessons and hands-on materials for children from birth to 18 years, presented individually, and embedded in a philosophical framework regarding children's development and its optimal conditions. The objectives of this…

Although Montessori is the most common unconventional education model, no multi-state study has compared standardized test proficiency of Montessori schools with districts. Here we report on this for the 10 states/regions with the most public Montessori schools (n = 195). In 3rd grade, Montessori schools were less proficient in math but more…

Although Montessori is the most common unconventional education model, no multi-state study has compared standardized test proficiency of Montessori schools with districts. Here we report on this for the 10 states/regions with the most public Montessori schools (n = 195). In 3rd grade, Montessori schools were less proficient in math but more…

Using data from the 2015-16 round of the Private School Universe Survey, I examine the types of private schools that decide to participate in school voucher programs in seven locations: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, D.C., and North Carolina. Regression analysis indicates that more specialized private schools tend to be less…

Montessori programs are expanding in public schools, serving a large proportion of African American students. Although recent Montessori research has focused on diverse public school populations, few studies have examined outcomes for African American students at the lower elementary level. This quasi-experimental study compares reading and math…

The main purpose of this study was to examine whether the age at which children start to learn to read affects their later progress. The study was conducted in Zürich, Switzerland, and compared a first grade class in a local school with two first grade classes in a Montessori school. It was found that although the Montessori children had an…

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a common neurobehavioral disorder in childhood, negatively impacts academic and social functioning, both of which later influence adulthood (Bose, 2013). This action research study focuses on comparing the prevalence of on-task and off-task behaviors exhibited by elementary age students diagnosed…

This study, conducted in Finnish private and Montessori child care centres, aimed at investigating the development of the phonological awareness (PA) of two- to five-year-old preschool children within a six-month period in relation to emerging letter knowledge and reading skills. The children (N = 72) performed five phonological tasks and a…

Montessori classrooms vary in the degree to which they adhere to Maria Montessori's model, including in the provision of materials. Specifically, some classrooms use only Montessori materials, whereas others supplement the Montessori materials with commercially available materials like puzzles and games. A prior study suggested such…

Understanding of base 10 and place value are important foundational math concepts that are associated with higher use of decomposition strategies and higher accuracy on addition problems (Laski, Ermakova, & Vasilyeva, 2014; Fuson, 1990; Fuson & Briars, 1990; National Research Council, 2001). The current study examined base-10 knowledge,…