When you’re ready to enroll your child in a Los Angeles school, there are plenty of options to choose from. Montessori education is a unique child-centered approach. California is home to many excellent Montessori schools ranging from preschool to elementary.
If you’ve decided this education method is the best fit for your child, finding the right Montessori school is your next step. So, let’s look at what type of Montessori schools Los Angeles has to offer.
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Choosing the Best Montessori School
As a parent, finding the right school for your child can be a challenging process. When it comes to Montessori education, there are many benefits to Montessori versus a traditional school, and there’s no shortage of Montessori schools to choose from. In California alone, there are over 400 Montessori schools, and although this approach to education has been around for a long time, it has continued to grow in popularity in recent years.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest in the country. Specifically, it's home to over 600,000 students. That’s part of what makes choosing the right school so important. So, what should you look for in a Montessori school? When making a decision, you should consider factors such as:
- Tuition rates
- Experience and certification of teachers
- Quality of community within the school
- Reviews and feedback from other parents
- Distance from your home
Whether you’re looking for a Montessori preschool or a school for an elementary-age child, there are plenty of highly-rated Montessori schools in the Los Angeles community.
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
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Top Montessori Schools in Los Angeles
Looking for the right school can be overwhelming, but there are many quality Montessori schools out there to choose from. Here are 10 of the top Montessori schools in Los Angeles.
Baxter Montessori
- 2101 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026
- Highly rated for the nurturing environment, quality staff, and great community
- Contact school for tuition
Baxter Montessori offers affordable tuition for families. It also has well-trained teachers who use the Montessori method. First licensed in 1970, Baxter Montessori has been around for over 50 years. It also has a reputation within the community for teaching students well. Moreover, many families have praised the education at Baxter Montessori over the years, and it continues to be a trustworthy institution for students in Los Angeles.
New World Montessori School
- 10520 Regent St, Los Angeles, CA 90034
- Highly rated for effective teaching, caring staff, and a warm environment
- Contact school for tuition
New World Montessori is a private school with a home-like environment. Further, one of the benefits of this school is they offer classes in Spanish and Mandarin. They also pride themselves on being culturally diverse and providing an environment where children of all ages and backgrounds can learn together.
New World Montessori offers a variety of indoor and outdoor activities for children. They also offer specific programs for infants, toddlers, preschools, and elementary children.
Beverlywood Montessori Preschool
- 1653 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
- Highly rated for qualified staff, safe environment, and excellent curriculum
- Contact school for tuition
Beverlywood Montessori Preschool offers a safe and warm environment for preschool-age children. They begin accepting children at the age of 2. They also offer a potty training program for those who are not fully potty trained upon enrollment.
Their curriculum includes a Spanish immersion program. Further, teachers teach children various subjects through the Montessori method. Beverlywood Montessori also has a strong community that includes celebrations and field trips for students throughout the year.
Montessori Shir-Hashirim Los Angeles
- 6047 Carlton Way, Los Angeles, CA 90028
- Highly rated for focused curriculum, excellent staff, and diverse extracurriculars
- Half day: $27,000 yearly, $9,000 quarterly
- Full day: $28,500 yearly, $9,500 quarterly
Shir-Hasirim Montessori school has two different locations. The main location is on Carlton Way in Los Angeles. This school teaches children between the ages of 2 and 6 and prepares them for some of the top Montessori elementary schools in the city. Specifically, they offer a primary program and a summer program for preschool children.
At Shir-Hashirim, they allow their students to grow and learn both individually and within the community of the school. Students are able to learn at their own pace when it comes to both practical life skills and subjects such as math and language.
Shir-Hashirim Montessori has a parent-and-me program that is required for families who may enroll their child in the Montessori program.
Southern California Montessori School
- 1430 Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025
- Highly rated for caring staff, experienced teachers, and supportive community
- Contact school for tuition
Southern California Montessori School has provided a quality Montessori education for over 40 years. They offer full- and half-day programs for children between 2 and 7 years of age. They also offer sessions year-round to meet the needs of various families.
At Southern California Montessori School, the teachers focus on helping children learn, explore, and play. Like most Montessori schools, they encourage children to take the lead in the learning process and explore at their own pace. Southern California Montessori offers numerous extracurricular activities such as music, piano, and gymnastics.
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
- Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
- Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
Bright Montessori School, Inc
- 3010 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
- Highly rated for diversity, caring environment, and trustworthy staff
- Half day: $1020-1500 monthly
- Full day: $1200-1800 monthly
Bright Montessori School offers a variety of options for its half- and full-day programs. They aim to foster knowledge and imagination to prepare children for the culturally diverse world we live in. Teachers at Bright Montessori School have a daily schedule they stick to. Specifically, that includes indoor and outdoor playtime and engaging students with the Montessori materials.
There are many differences between Bright Montessori School and a traditional preschool, including the variety of multi-sensory materials offered to the students and the way students are encouraged to be independent. The child-led approach at Bright Montessori creates a positive experience for each child and teacher as they facilitate independent learning.
Global Montessori School of Westwood
- 1847 Midvale Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025
- Highly rated for the loving environment, strong curriculum, and authentic Montessori teaching
- Part-time: $14,000 annually
- Full-time: $15,500 annually
Global Montessori School of Westwood offers a unique learning experience for preschool and Kindergarten-age children. During the early years, they focus on cognitive, physical, and social skills, and their classes include subjects such as language, reading, and mathematics.
The Global Montessori School approach is to provide an authentic Montessori experience, which looks like a structured, but natural environment. They seek to inspire children to have a love for learning and provide individual care and education to each of their students.
American Montessori Preschool
- 4817 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041
- Highly rated for friendly staff, affordable rates, and quality education
- Contact school for tuition
American Montessori Preschool offers care for infants ages 6 weeks to 24 months, and preschool for children ages 2 to 5. Further, they pride themselves on offering a rewarding environment for each child in their care.
No matter what their abilities and needs are, they provide individual attention to each child and allow students to focus and explore activities on their own. The infant care they offer makes them a unique center since they offer a place for children to grow from infancy to kindergarten.
Crenshaw Montessori Academy
- 4914 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043
- Highly rated for wonderful teachers, excellent education, and supportive administration
- Contact school for tuition
Crenshaw Montessori Academy accepts students at 2 years old. The school also offers education through first grade. It was established in 1977, so it has offered quality education to Los Angeles students for over 40 years.
The certified teachers at Crenshaw Montessori have over a decade of experience. They also work with each child to ensure they meet their specific needs. They teach students advanced academics through the Montessori approach and their first-rate curriculum.
Kids Collective Preschool- Montessori and Reggio Program
- 4252 Inglewood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
- Highly rated for great atmosphere, quality curriculum, and supportive staff
- Contact school for tuition
Kids Collective Preschool has a unique approach to education. Specifically, they combine the Montessori and Reggio methods. Their Montessori curriculum includes five categories of activities: practical life, sensorial, language arts, mathematics, and cultural studies. Further, the Reggio approach is child-led and stresses the importance of the learning environment as a “third teacher.”
They offer morning and afternoon programs for preschool children. What's more, at Kids Collective, they have an outdoor preschool environment, and classrooms dedicated to each educational approach.
Notable Montessori Alumni
The Montessori style of education has been around for a very long time. Given that, it's no surprise that there are a number of celebrities who are Montessori alumni. Some of these rich and accomplished people include:
Chelsea Clinton – Daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton
Steph Curry – Golden State Warriors player and NBA MVP
Anne Frank – Holocaust victim and author
Sergey Brin and Larry Page – Founders of Google
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
- Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
- Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
Taylor Swift – Award-winning songwriter and singer
Prince George of Cambridge – Member of the British royal family
Will Wright – Creator and developer of the Sims video game series
Jeff Bezos – Billionaire and Amazon founder
Unfortunately, with popularity comes a higher risk for misinformation. The Montessori education style is no stranger to that; there are a number of websites, including those of Montessori schools, that claim Beyoncé, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Prince William, Prince Henry, and several other prominent figures attended a Montessori school. The American Montessori Society has found no credible evidence to back these claims. Always exercise caution when reading a Montessori article that lists these individuals as Montessori alumni.
Conclusion
When you know the Montessori method is the right fit for your child, there are many options for you to choose from. You might select a school based on factors such as environment, tuition, or staff. Despite some of the criticisms of Montessori education, it can be a great choice for preschool and elementary children. If you’re looking for the best education in Los Angeles, these top Montessori schools are loved by parents in the community.
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