Many factors will influence your decision of which educational program to choose for your child. You will consider the curriculum and whether or not it will meet your child’s needs. You will also look at the style of instruction to determine if it aligns with your philosophy of education. The atmosphere of the classroom and opportunities for interactions with others are also areas of consideration. Each of these factors can influence whether or not you want to send your child to a Montessori program. Before you can make a final decision, you also need to consider the cost. Is Montessori education expensive? The reality is that each Montessori program is different and comes with costs that can vary significantly. To decide if you are willing to invest in Montessori education, you need to have a clear understanding of the costs for the programs you are considering.

Costs vary with each Montessori program

Each Montessori program is unique. You will find that two schools that are both listed as Montessori can be quite different in terms of instruction and cost. Some programs strictly adhere to the teachings of Maria Montessori, while others hold loosely to her teachings. These potential differences make it essential that you take time to consider individual programs instead of trying to research Montessori education in general.

Costs of admission

As an example, consider the costs associated with attending Fountainhead Montessori School. There are no application, material, or registration fees to get the enrollment process started at FMS. Other programs may require some of these fees, so be sure and ask before you start applying. At Fountainhead, the first time you make any payment is once your application is processed and there is a spot available for your child. At that point, you will make your first monthly installment fee which will reserve your student’s spot and be applied directly to tuition once the semester begins. At the elementary level, there is a one-time assessment fee. You will find that the costs associated with admission will vary per school you explore.

Monthly costs

Once your child is enrolled, assessed, and starts the program, you will have tuition costs that you can pay on a monthly or yearly basis. As an example, kindergarten tuition with no before or aftercare comes in at just under $1600 per month at FMS. Tuition for kindergarten with complete access to before and aftercare (7 AM to 8:45 AM and 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM) is just over $1800 per month. When you consider what you get for the price difference, it will help you determine which option makes the most sense for your family. You can see a breakdown of the costs for the various programs at FMS by visiting the programs page for each campus. Get the exact tuition numbers for each program you are considering so you can make an informed decision and plan accordingly.

There is a cost associated with sending your child to Montessori school. The key to deciding if a program is worth the cost is learning about the specific programs on your list. The wide variety of programs and tuition costs means that you must deeply explore the various elements of any program you are considering to make a decision.