SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT THROUGH AMS ACCREDITATION
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Table
of Contents:
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| Overview |
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What is accreditation? |
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How does school accreditation differ from school consultation? |
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How would a school benefit from AMS school accreditation? |
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| How to Begin the Process |
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Who is eligible to apply for school accreditation? |
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How to determine if a school is ready to apply for school accreditation |
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The first steps - applying for AMS school accreditation |
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After a school submits the application, what should it do next? |
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What if a school needs help to engage in this process? |
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| Budgeting |
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How much should a school budget for the accreditation process? |
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Why do accredited schools pay additional annual fees? |
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| Choosing a Protocol |
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What are the self-study protocol (format) options? |
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What is the difference between the Authentic and the Portfolio protocols? |
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How to choose between the Authentic and the Portfolio protocols |
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What is the joint accreditation process? |
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Can a school undergo a joint accreditation process with any regional agency & AMS? |
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What are the advantages of a joint accreditation? |
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If a school follows a protocol from another accrediting agency, what additional requirements must it fulfill for AMS? |
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What if the school uses one of the two AMS protocols for the joint accreditation? |
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| Timetable |
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What is AMS’s school accreditation timetable? |
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How long should a school expect to spend on preparing for accreditation? |
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How to determine a timetable |
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How long is the term for the AMS School Accreditation? |
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| Contact Us |
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• To request a copy of the AMS School Accreditation Information Packet, contact scandainfo@amshq.org |
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• If you have questions about school accreditation (self-study, requirements, AMS Standards, etc.), contact Marie Conti (marie@amshq.org) or Joanne Oh (joanne@amshq.org) |
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• American
Montessori Society
Office of School Consultation and Accreditation
281 Park Avenue South, 6th floor
New York, NY 10010
212-358-1250 (p)
212-358-1256 (f)
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Downloadable
Forms and Documents
... please note that The AMS School Accreditation Handbook is
not available online. To obtain a copy, please send an email to scandainfo@amshq.org |
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AMS School Accreditation Application Documents
- Application for AMS School Accreditation[DOC]
[PDF]
- Accreditation Application Questionnaire [DOC]
[PDF]
- AMS Standards Checklist and Verification [PDF]
- Faculty Roster and Credentials [DOC]
[PDF]
AMS School Accreditation Protocol Overview and Protocols
- Overview of AMS Self-Study Protocols [DOC] [PDF]
- THE AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI SCHOOL*
- A Guide to The Authentic *
- SCHOOL PORTFOLIO PROTOCOL: A Self-Study *
- Joint Accreditation Protocol and Options
[PDF]
* (please email scandainfo@amshq.org to obtain a copy)
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OVERVIEW
What is accreditation?
AMS Accreditation is a voluntary process undertaken by schools that are committed to continuous school improvement. Through a self-study and documentation process a school defines itself in terms of strengths and areas that need improvement and validates that the school is what it says it is and does what it says it does.
However, the real value resides in the good things that happen to the school as it achieves and maintains accreditation. The self-study process is one of discovery and empowerment. The school’s self-study examines itself in light of its own philosophy, involving all its constituents. It results in strong self-evaluation and a strategic plan that fosters continuing school improvement. The school uses Standards for American Montessori Schools and six essential qualities established by research and consensus as the essence of the educational nature of Montessori education. The essential qualities are:
- The Montessori Learning Environment
A child centered environment, responsive, adaptive with individually construed competence
- Montessori’s Learning Activities
Materials, spontaneous activity, active learning, self-directed, freedom within limits, intrinsic motivation
- Montessori Learning Relationships
Mixed age grouping, social community setting, cooperation, collaboration not competition
- Montessori Spirituality
The child as a spiritual and moral being
- What the Montessori Teacher Is
Authoritative, observer, resource, consultant, role model
- What the Montessori Teacher Does
Respectfully engages with learner, able to match learner with knowledge and materials, environment designer, organizer and preparer
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These qualities and their attributes are described in more detail on pages 38-40 of The Authentic American Montessori School.
The self-study process results in a strategic plan to guide the school in achieving its self-identified goals. A plan becomes strategic when it includes timetables, resources (both human and financial) and tools to measure success.
How
does school accreditation differ from school consultation?
AMS School Consultation was implemented to help non-accredited schools achieve congruence with the AMS Standards and to reinforce, support and encourage opportunities for each school’s continued development. All non AMS-accredited member schools are required to undergo a consultation.
An AMS trained consultant visits the member school to review the school’s progress in meeting the Standards and makes recommendations that facilitate school improvement by assisting school leaders to identify goals. The school selects a consultant from the AMS Consultant Directory, contacts the consultant and arranges for a consultation visit.
Accredited schools have obtained the highest level of recognition by the American Montessori Society. Schools that are awarded AMS School Accreditation are not required to undergo school consultation but are instead expected to maintain their accreditation status by fulfilling the annual accreditation requirements and by seeking re-accreditation each time its accreditation term expires.
How
would a school benefit from AMS school accreditation?
It results in strong self-evaluation and a strategic plan that fosters continuing school improvement.
Accredited schools have obtained the highest level of recognition by American Montessori Society.
Accreditation affirms that the school meets a standard of excellence in the implementation of Montessori education that is recognized by the entire AMS community.
It results in ongoing school improvement and professional development.
AMS accreditation carries weight in marketing to the public
Here’s what schools say about the process:
“The "Authentic" process of AMS accreditation was a transformative process for the entire Walnut Park Montessori School community. It was a light-year leap of growth which empowered us to deepen our awareness of who we are and who we can become for the children we serve. This process is not to be missed by any school that is committed to the journey of self discovery!” Mary Ann Connolly, SC ~ Principal, Walnut Park Montessori School ~ Newton, MA
“The process of accreditation was healthy and productive for every member of our school. Our board members, full time faculty and administrators, as well as many parents, all participated together in the process, which was unifying and provided clear goals for the following seven years as a result. The process itself is truly worth the time and expenses as it is such a healthy one for the school organization. However, the product is great too! New families are reassured to know that the school they are choosing has been through a rigorous internal self-study as well as visits and input from professional consultants. This is very affirming for the work we are doing and impact we are trying to make on the professional education community as a whole.” Marie Pendleton, Head of School, Bowling Green Montessori School, Bowling Green, Ohio
"The path to accreditation is a difficult upward climb but the exhilaration of knowing you have reached a summit where staff, students and community have come together and all have benefited is well worth the struggle." Donna Kaiser, teacher, Bunche Elementary Montessori School, Ft Wayne Community Schools, Ft Wayne, Indiana.
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HOW TO BEGIN THE PROCESS
Who is eligible to apply for school accreditation?
- Has your school been in operation for at least one year?
- Has your school been a member of AMS for at least one year?
- Is your school a Full Member of AMS?
- Does each lead teacher hold a Montessori credential from a MACTE or AMI accredited program in the level in which they are teaching? In other words, a lead teacher in a toddler classroom must hold an Infant/Toddler credential from a MACTE or AMI accredited teacher education program.
- Is your school in full compliance with the AMS Standards?
How to determine if a school is ready to apply for school accreditation
- Have we met all eligibility criteria?
- Are we committed to school improvement?
- Are we willing and able to dedicate the time, 12-18 months, in seriously completing the Self-Study?
- Are we financially strong? Are we able to set aside funds for the fee and team visit costs?
- Is our school stable in its governance and leadership?
- Do we have a viable mission statement?
- Have we developed a strategic plan?
- Will we welcome input from a visiting team of colleagues?
If your answer is “yes” to all these questions, then you are ready to take the first step toward AMS School Accreditation!
The first steps - applying for AMS school accreditation
- First, you will need the school accreditation information packet. Call the AMS office (212-35-1250) or send an email to scandainfo@amshq.org and one will be sent to you.
The packet includes
- Application for AMS School Accreditation [DOC] [PDF]
- Accreditation Application Questionnaire [DOC] [PDF]
- AMS Standards Checklist and Verification [PDF]
- Faculty Roster and Credentials [DOC] [PDF]
- Once you receive the information packet, read the School Improvement through AMS Accreditation School Handbook. Pay particular attention to the description of the three self-study protocols.
- Determine if you want to seek co-accreditation with another accrediting agency. Click here for more information on joint accreditations. Joint Accreditation Protocol and Options [PDF]
- Choose an approved self-study protocol. If you cannot decide or have
questions, please call Joanne Oh at 212-358-1250 ext 309 or send
an email to marie@amshq.org or joanne@amshq.org to
discuss your self-study options.
- Complete the application paperwork (application, questionnaire, Standards Checklist, faculty roster and credentials) and send to AMS with the $550 application fee. The application must be complete. Any missing information or document will delay the application process.
After a school submits the application, what should it do next?
- Once your application has been processed and your school’s eligibility for school accreditation has been determined, you will receive a letter acknowledging your school as a candidate for AMS School Accreditation.
- Upon receipt of the candidacy letter, you can begin the self-study phase. Select a protocol that has been approved by AMS. Immediately inform the AMS office if you’re seeking joint accreditation.
What if a school needs help to engage in this process?
An AMS trained consultant can help a school determine its compliance with
the AMS Standards in preparation for the AMS School Accreditation
process. Visit the School
Consultation page in the AMS website to use the Consultant Directory
to search for an AMS Consultant in your area. In addition to AMS consultants,
mentoring is
available from accredited schools.
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BUDGETING
How much should a school budget for the accreditation process?
- Costs vary depending on the size of the school and the type of protocol selected. The AMS Office of School Consultation and Accreditation can help schools to prepare a budget. Costs include:
- $550 AMS application fee
- Expenses for producing and distributing the self-study
- Team members’ travel, lodging and meal expenses
- Expenses for hospitality for the visiting accreditation team
- Expenses for the production of the self-study
Members of the visiting accreditation team volunteer their time and expertise. None of the members receive an honorarium.
- Other expenses include annual AMS membership and Accreditation dues.
Why do accredited schools pay additional annual fees?
On-going annual update reports are filed with AMS by June 15 of each year to maintain accreditation. Accredited schools pay an annual fee which covers the annual report review.
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CHOOSING A PROTOCOL
What
Are the Self-Study Protocol (Format) Options?
Each
school is unique, and rather than having a “one size fits all” process,
AMS developed three protocols to better promote professional development
for each member school. A side-by-side comparison of these protocols
is found in Overview
of AMS Self-Study Protocols [DOC] [PDF].
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The Authentic American Montessori School
This protocol was written by Nancy M. Rambusch and John A. Stoops in 1992 and continues to be relevant today. Written in a metaphorical style, the guide challenges schools to engage in a holistic self-evaluation process. Because some of the language in The Authentic is unfamiliar to many, A Guide to the Authentic has been published to assist schools in evaluating and utilizing this protocol. Please email scandainfo@amshq.org to obtain a copy.
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The School Portfolio: A Self-Study
This protocol was developed by the AMS School Accreditation Commission to assist a school community in the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan for school improvement. It focuses on the school’s mission, AMS Standards, and student learner outcomes as a framework for strengthening the instructional and organizational effectiveness of the school.
The development of the School Portfolio is a community process that identifies the strengths and areas that need improvement within the school. The school community accomplishes this by creating teams that gather stakeholders’ input about the mission, practices and vision of the school resulting in a school improvement plan. A description of the school portfolio protocol can be found in School Portfolio Protocol: a Self Study. Please email scandainfo@amshq.org to obtain a copy
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Joint Accreditation Protocol
AMS has developed a process for affiliated schools to become accredited by several organizations at the same time if they choose to do so. This eliminates duplicating some of the work required for dual or multiple accreditations and streamlines the process.
In order to engage in a joint accreditation protocol the school must contact the regional office of the joint accrediting agency as well as the AMS Office of School Consultation and Accreditation to begin the process. Schools must be in compliance with the requirements of the other accrediting agency as well as AMS requirements. A list of the regional, national, and international school accreditation associations that are allied with AMS as well as a description of the Joint Accreditation Protocol can be found in Joint Accreditation Protocol and Options [PDF].
What is the difference between the Authentic and the Portfolio protocols?
The Authentic American Montessori School guide was written by Dr. Nancy M. Rambusch and John A. Stoops in 1992 and continues to be relevant today. The Authentic protocol challenges schools to engage in a holistic self-evaluation process. It is a concept-based outcomes-oriented self-study/evaluation.
The five sections of the Authentic Protocol are:
- The Primary Nature of the School
- The Educational Nature (Characteristics of Montessori Education)
- The Nature of Outcomes
- Evaluation by Holistic Analysis
- Strategic Planning
The Portfolio protocol was developed by the AMS School Accreditation Commission to assist a school community in the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan for school improvement. This is a community process that identifies the strengths and areas that need improvement within the school.
The six steps of the Portfolio are:
- Developing the School’s Profile
- Refining the School’s Guiding Principles and Mission
- Defining the Educational Nature of the School
- Defining the Student Learner Outcomes
- Analyzing Instructional and Organizational Effectiveness
- Developing a Strategic Plan (with Action Plan)
How to choose between the Authentic and the Portfolio protocols
If a school is looking for a holistic self-evaluation process, it will benefit the most from The Authentic Protocol. This one is reflective.
If a school is looking for a process that will help identify its strengths and areas that need improvement and to develop a comprehensive plan for school improvement, it will benefit from the School Portfolio Protocol. This one is practical.
A school can choose to follow a different protocol each time it engages in the accreditation process, determined by “where the school is at that time.”
What is the joint accreditation process?
A school may decide to seek accreditation with two or more accrediting agencies at the same time. This process involves the use of either an AMS self-study protocol or a regional or national self-study protocol from another accrediting body that is approved by the AMS office.
Can a school undergo a joint accreditation process with any regional agency & AMS?
AMS Office of School Consultation and Accreditation has successfully partnered with numerous regional accrediting associations and continues to form new relationships with other agencies. The work coordinated between the two associations ensures a seamless joint process. Please check with the regional agency to confirm that they will accept the self-study protocol you have chosen to use.
NOTE: Schools must apply to each accrediting agency separately.
Some of the agencies are listed below. Please check with the AMS Office for more options or contact your local regional accrediting agency.
What are the advantages of a joint accreditation?
The Joint Accreditation Protocol eliminates duplicating some of the work required for dual or multiple accreditations and streamlines the process.
- Fewer expenses incurred due to the team visit. There is one visiting team and one team visit.
- The school develops one self-study, copies of which are submitted to each accrediting agency.
If a school follows a protocol from another accrediting agency, what additional requirements must it fulfill for AMS?
- Application: Regardless of whose protocol a school chooses to follow, it must apply to all pertinent accrediting agencies. In other words, if you are planning on a joint accreditation process with Middle States Association (MSA) and AMS, you must apply to both MSA and AMS and comply with each association’s application requirements.
- Standards: AMS Standards 1 through 10 overlap with other regional associations’ Standards. AMS Standards 11, 12, and 13 specifically address Montessori practices; therefore, in addition to the full compliance of the other accrediting agency’s Standards, the school must also be in full compliance with AMS Standards 11, 12, and 13.
- Self-Study: Regardless of whose protocol you use, to meet AMS self-study requirements, the self-study report must include the school’s profile, educational nature, learner outcomes and the strategic planning.
- Most accreditation protocols do ask for the school’s profile, educational nature, learner outcomes and the strategic planning; however, some do not, such as NAEYC. It is the school’s responsibility to make sure its self-study includes these components.
The AMS Self-Study Protocol Requirements Checklist will help you check the self-study report to ensure all required components have been included. Please contact the AMS office to obtain a copy.
- AMS Self-Study Report Requirements Checklist: The Authentic Protocol [PDF]
- AMS Self-Study Report Requirements Checklist: The School Portfolio [PDF]
- AMS Self-Study Report Requirements Checklist: Joint Accreditation [PDF]
- Teacher Credentials: All lead teachers must hold Montessori credentials in the level in which they are teaching. The credentials must be from a MACTE or AMI accredited Teacher Education Program. Credentials earned from long-distance/correspondence programs do not meet this requirement.
What if the school uses one of the two AMS protocols for the joint accreditation?
First and foremost, check with the other agency if they will accept the protocol. Then the school must determine what additional requirements the joint agency has and either embeds them into the AMS document or includes a separate section. Check with the joint agency to make sure all requirements are fulfilled.
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TIME TABLE
What is AMS’s school accreditation timetable?
Onsite Team visits will be confirmed only when self-studies have been reviewed and approved by the AMS Office of School Consultation and Accreditation.
Self-studies must arrive at the AMS Office of School Consultation and Accreditation no later than…
- July 1 if an onsite visit is anticipated to take place between October and December,
- October 1 if an onsite visit is anticipated to take place between January and mid-April
Failure to meet this deadline may result in a postponement of the visit.
NOTE: No team visits are scheduled for September, the last two weeks in December, late April and May.
After the team visit, if everything goes accordingly, and there were no discrepancies or non-compliances, it will be approximately 12 weeks after the onsite team visit before the school comes before the AMS School Accreditation Commission for review.
If the Commission votes to award the school AMS School Accreditation, the school will be presented to the AMS Board of Directors for their vote. This phase takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks.
In the case of a joint accreditation, AMS waits until after the other accreditation agency makes a decision. AMS honors the other agency’s postponements and deferrals. This has taken as long as a year.
How long should a school expect to spend on preparing for accreditation?
The accreditation process is unique for all schools. The timetable will vary from school to school; however, the following is an approximate guide to help schools plan their accreditation calendar. Some schools will take less and some more than the time indicated.
From the time of accreditation application and the onsite team’s visit, the average time span is 24 - 30 months (a school should expect to spend a minimum of 12 to 18 months on the self-study).
How to determine a timetable
To determine its timetable, the school will need to examine the following.
- Are there any AMS Standards with which it is not in compliance?
- If so, what are they, and how long will it take to become fully compliant?
- Will there be expenses incurred? How will this affect the budget?
- Are there required documents or policies that are not in place?
- If so, what are they, and how long will it take to develop and implement?
- Will there be expenses incurred? How will this affect the budget?
- How much time will the committee(s) be able to devote to the process and the composition of their section in the self-study?
- Has the school budgeted sufficiently for the accreditation process?
It is strongly recommended that the school’s Self-Study Steering Committee project the progress rate of the self-study report to help determine the timetable rather than focusing on when a team is likely to visit. The date of the team visit will be confirmed only when the school is determined to be 100% in compliance with the AMS Standards and the self-study is considered comprehensive and complete.
How long is the term for the AMS School Accreditation?
If the school followed either the AMS Authentic or School Portfolio protocol, the term is seven (7) years.
If the school underwent a joint accreditation process and followed another accrediting agency’s protocol, the term for accreditation is dictated by the other accrediting agency.
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CONTACT US
- To request a copy of the AMS School Accreditation Information Packet, contact scandainfo@amshq.org
- Include your name, the name of the school, mailing address and phone number.
- Please enter “School Accreditation information packet” in the subject heading.
- If you have questions about school accreditation (self-study, requirements, AMS Standards, etc.), contact Marie Conti (marie@amshq.org) or Joanne Oh (joanne@amshq.org)
- American Montessori Society
Office of School Consultation and Accreditation
281 Park Avenue South, 6th floor
New York, NY 10010
212-358-1250 (p)
212-358-1256 (f)
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