Shape the future of Montessori excellence

AMI Global School Accreditation

AMI's worldwide mark of quality Montessori practice, and how your school can join.

Pilot phase now · Full launch January 2028

The Global School Accreditation (GSA) is an initiative of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) to strengthen Montessori schools across the world. Montessori Institute Prague (MIP) is proud to serve as an Authorised Accrediting Agency.

Write us to express your interest How the process works

Where we are now, the GSA is in its pilot phase

The Global School Accreditation is currently in its pilot phase. Everything described on this page is the full programme as it will operate, the framework, the journey and the roles are all in place, and Montessori Institute Prague is now putting the process into practice with real schools, learning alongside them and refining it as we go.

The full launch is planned for January 2028. Schools that would like to be part of this early stage, or to be first in line when the programme opens more widely, are warmly invited to get in touch.

Pilot phase now · Full launch January 2028
The programme

What is the Global School Accreditation?

AMI's Global School Accreditation is an international initiative designed to strengthen Montessori schools everywhere. Built on the Montessori principles of observation, collaboration and continuous development, the programme supports schools in reflecting on their strengths, identifying areas to develop, and deepening their alignment with authentic Montessori pedagogy.

The GSA is not simply a certificate or a checklist. It is a process of shared inquiry, one that recognises that every school is on its own unique path and that real development unfolds over time. From the reflective Self-Study to the Onsite Review Visit, every stage is designed to be supportive, encouraging your school to set goals that fit your context while holding to high aspirations for Montessori practice.

  • ✓ Support schools in improving Montessori implementation
  • ✓ Strengthen communication and collaboration within school communities
  • ✓ Build a connected global network of Montessori schools
  • ✓ Encourage ongoing reflection and refinement
  • ✓ Provide clarity and reassurance for families and the wider community
The Global School Accreditation aims to: give schools ownership, foster collaboration, ensure high standards, encourage alignment with best practice, and provide a transparent mechanism.
What the Global School Accreditation aims to achieve.

Throughout the journey, schools are accompanied by a local Authorised Accrediting Agency (AAA) that offers culturally appropriate support and coordinates Coaches and Reviewers. AMI provides oversight so that the process is applied consistently and responsibly worldwide.

“Envision what is possible in the world.” This spirit animates the GSA and the global community it seeks to build.
Developmental, not a verdict

A different kind of accreditation

Many accreditation systems measure conformity. The GSA does something different. It is developmental, not a verdict, a structured conversation about your practice rather than a pass-or-fail inspection.

Universally applicable

Yet flexible enough to honour local context, quality looks different in different communities, and the GSA respects that.

Comprehensive

Reflecting the interconnected nature of a Montessori environment.

Non-prescriptive

Avoiding a “checklist” approach.

Supportive

Encouraging growth through conversation and reflection.

“Standards are necessary quality control… Freedom within limits. You are free to implement Montessori according to your personal understanding and knowledge. Standards provide the limits to that freedom.”Annette Haines, Montessori educator

Schools are encouraged to approach the process with honesty and curiosity, knowing that its purpose is not to judge, but to support them in their development.

The GSA Quality Framework

Four Quality Areas

AMI has developed a set of Quality Areas, Standards and Indicators, collectively, the Quality Standards, that give schools a comprehensive and meaningful way to examine their practice. They act as guiding threads rather than rigid requirements.

Organisation, Governance & Leadership

How the school is led, governed and organised to protect and sustain authentic Montessori practice over time.

The Prepared Environment

The physical and social environment, indoors and outdoors, prepared to meet the developmental needs of children and adolescents.

The Work of the Adult

The preparation, observation and pedagogical practice of the Montessori educators who guide the environment.

The Work of the Children & Adolescents

The lived experience and development of the children and adolescents themselves, the ultimate purpose of everything else.

Each area contains several Standards, supported by Indicators that describe how those Standards may be seen in daily practice. Indicators are not boxes to tick; they are invitations to look closely, to observe patterns over time, and to discuss what is working well and what might deserve attention.

The accreditation journey

Six stages, at your own rhythm

The GSA pathway is developmental and reflective. Schools move through it at their own rhythm, depending on their context and readiness. Throughout, your Authorised Accrediting Agency coordinates communication, supports orientation, and assigns Coaches and a Review Team where appropriate.

The six-step Global School Accreditation journey, arranged in a circle around schools at the centre.
The six-step Global School Accreditation journey, with schools at the centre.
1

Expression of Interest

Your school expresses interest and receives an orientation to the purpose, structure, expectations, timeline, roles and fees of the programme. This stage is informational and non-evaluative, it simply helps you decide whether you are ready to engage.

2

Application for Candidacy

When you decide to proceed, you complete the Application for Candidacy. Once accepted, your school receives Candidate School status and is added to the global map of schools engaged in the GSA, your formal entry into the journey.

3

Self-Study & Self-Study Review

The Self-Study is the heart of the process. Your community reflects on its practice, culture and alignment with Montessori principles and the AMI Quality Standards, supported by a Coach along a pathway suited to your school.

4

Application for Accreditation & Onsite Review Visit

When ready, your school applies for accreditation and welcomes a Review Team. The team observes practice, examines documentation and engages in professional dialogue, then contributes to the Onsite Review Visit Report.

5

Accreditation Decision

Drawing on the Self-Study and the Review Report, a decision is made. Schools that meet AMI's quality expectations are recognised as AMI Accredited Schools.

6

Continual Improvement & Renewal

Accreditation is the beginning of an ongoing relationship, not the end of one. Schools continue to reflect, report annually and grow, moving toward re-accreditation at the close of their accreditation term.

Who walks alongside you

A collaborative process

The GSA is a collaborative process. Several roles work together, with clarity, transparency and shared purpose, to accompany your school while respecting its unique context.

The GSA collaboration framework: AMI oversees Authorised Accrediting Agencies, which coordinate Coaches and Reviewers around schools at the centre.
How AMI, your AAA, Coaches and Reviewers work together around your school.

Your Authorised Accrediting Agency (AAA)

Your primary point of contact throughout the journey. The AAA orients your school, assigns Coaches and Review Teams, supports you through the Self-Study and every other stage, and upholds the integrity of the process. Montessori Institute Prague is your AAA.

Your Coach

An experienced guide who accompanies your community through the Self-Study, helping you reflect deeply and prepare well, without prescribing answers.

The Review Team

Trained observers and dialogue partners who observe practice, listen to your school's lived reality, and reflect back what they see with accuracy and care. The Review Team provides evidence-based findings but does not itself decide the outcome.

AMI

The steward of the programme worldwide, maintaining the standards, training and authorising Coaches and Reviewers, safeguarding pedagogical integrity, and protecting the AMI name.

Montessori Institute Prague

Your Authorised Accrediting Agency

An Authorised Accrediting Agency is a Montessori organisation authorised by AMI to administer the Global School Accreditation within its region. The AAA bridges AMI's global expectations and the realities of local communities, so that the support you receive is both pedagogically sound and culturally grounded.

Montessori Institute Prague is proud to serve as an AAA for the GSA. From your first expression of interest through to accreditation and beyond, we orient your school to the process, pair you with a Coach for the Self-Study, coordinate your Review Team, and stay in close communication at every stage. Our aim is simple: to help your school see itself clearly, strengthen its Montessori practice, and take its place in a growing global community of AMI schools.

Talk to us about accreditation
Why pursue GSA accreditation

Value at every level

For your school

A structured, supportive way to reflect on practice, align more deeply with Montessori principles, and set meaningful goals for development.

For your team

The Self-Study strengthens communication and shared purpose across your whole community, from leadership to the classroom.

For families

Clarity and reassurance that your school meets AMI's internationally recognised quality expectations.

For the wider movement

Membership in a connected global network of Montessori schools that learn from one another and strengthen local and national Montessori ecosystems.

The GSA reflects the spirit of Montessori work itself: open, flexible, inclusive, and grounded in the belief that improvement is always possible.

The AMI Global School Accreditation will: create a global network, build a network evidencing Montessori principles, demonstrate commitment to improvement, and be rigorous but not a check-list.
What the AMI Global School Accreditation sets out to do.
Who can take part

Every Montessori school is welcome

The GSA is designed to support all Montessori schools, regardless of size, resources or location. Schools of every size, from the smallest settings to the largest, are welcome to engage, and the process is designed to honour each school's context.

If you lead a Montessori school and are curious about strengthening your practice and joining the AMI network, you are ready to begin with an Expression of Interest, the informational, no-obligation first stage.

Recognition & the AMI Accredited School badge

Once your Application for Candidacy is accepted, your school gains Candidate School status and appears on the global map of schools engaged in the GSA. Upon earning accreditation, your school is listed publicly as an AMI Accredited School and may display the AMI Accredited School badge in line with AMI's branding guidelines, a clear signal to families and community that you have met AMI's quality expectations.

Investment

Fees scaled to your school

Fees attach to the stages of the accreditation journey and are scaled to the size of your school, so that participation is proportionate and accessible. Because every school's context is different, we provide a clear, tailored breakdown of the fees relevant to your situation as part of your orientation.

Request a fee overview for your school

The fee schedule is still being finalised; we will send it to you when it is ready.

A moment of celebration

Awarded at the Prague Montessori Congress

Each year, GSA accreditations awarded via MIP are celebrated and awarded at the Prague Montessori Congress, a gathering of the international Montessori community. It is a fitting moment: schools that have completed their journey are recognised among peers from across the world, marking both an achievement and an entry into a shared global network.

Next Congress: 24-26 April 2027
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Is the GSA a pass-or-fail inspection?
No. It is a developmental process of shared inquiry. Its purpose is to support your school's growth, not to judge it. The framework is designed for reflection and dialogue rather than as a checklist.
How long does accreditation take?
There is no single timeline. Schools move through the six stages at a rhythm that suits their context and readiness. Your AAA will help you plan a realistic path.
Do we have to be perfect to apply?
Not at all. The programme assumes every school is on its own trajectory. You begin where you are; the Self-Study helps you see your strengths and your next steps clearly.
What size of school can apply?
Schools of any size are welcome. The Standards are universal, and the process, and the fees, are scaled to your context.
What happens after we are accredited?
Accreditation begins an ongoing relationship. Schools continue to reflect, report annually and develop, working toward re-accreditation at the end of their accreditation term.
How do we start?
With an Expression of Interest. It is informational and carries no obligation, simply the first conversation about whether the GSA is right for your school.
Express your interest

Begin your GSA journey with Montessori Institute Prague

The first step is a simple conversation. Whether you would like to explore joining a coaching cohort now or to be first in line for the January 2028 launch, tell us about your school. There is no obligation, just the start of a journey toward strengthening your practice and joining a global community of Montessori schools.

Having trouble with the form? Email us at mirka@amiprague.cz.

Global School Accreditation, the AAA network

Authorised Accrediting Agencies around the world

Who administers AMI's Global School Accreditation in each region, and how your school finds its home.

The Global School Accreditation is delivered worldwide through a network of Authorised Accrediting Agencies (AAAs), Montessori organisations authorised by AMI to run the programme within their regions.

Write us to express your interest
The role

What is an Authorised Accrediting Agency?

An Authorised Accrediting Agency is a Montessori organisation authorised by AMI to administer the Global School Accreditation and to issue accreditation decisions under AMI's authority within a defined context.

AAAs may be established by AMI Affiliates, AMI Training Centres, or other Montessori entities that demonstrate the capacity to uphold AMI's expectations. Each AAA becomes the day-to-day home of the programme in its region: it orients schools, assigns Coaches and Review Teams, supports schools through the Self-Study and every stage that follows, manages documentation, and makes the accreditation determination under AMI authorisation.

The role exists to bridge two things: AMI's consistent global standards, and the lived realities of local communities. That way, the support your school receives is both pedagogically sound and culturally grounded.

A growing global network

The network is still forming

The GSA is a young and expanding programme. As it grows, so does the network of AAAs, each one extending the reach of the accreditation into a new region and language while sharing the same standards and the same purpose.

GSA: connecting Montessori schools across the world, AMI linked to Local AAAs, which connect Coaches, Schools and the Self-Study.
Connecting Montessori schools across the world through AMI and its regional AAAs.

Every school that formally enters the programme is added to AMI's global map of schools engaged in the GSA, first as a Candidate School, and, once accreditation is earned, as an AMI Accredited School. Over time, this map becomes a living picture of a connected, worldwide community of Montessori schools.

Because the network is still forming, the list of active AAAs changes as new agencies are authorised. If you do not yet see an agency for your region, that does not mean the programme is closed to you, see “What if there is no AAA in my region yet?” below.

Directory

Authorised Accrediting Agencies

The network of Authorised Accrediting Agencies is growing. The table below lists the agencies currently authorised and the regions they serve. For the most current list, please get in touch, we will point you to the right AAA for your school, or help you begin directly with Montessori Institute Prague.

Authorised Accrediting AgencyRegion servedLanguagesContact
Montessori Institute Prague (MIP)Czech Republic · Central EuropeCzech, Englishamiprague.cz
AMI USAUnited StatesEnglishamiusa.org
AMI CanadaCanadaEnglish, Frenchami-canada.com
Montessori NorgeNorwayNorwegian, Englishmontessorinorge.no
Asociación Montessori EspañolaSpainSpanish, Englishasociacionmontessori.net

Regions and languages shown are indicative. Please confirm with AMI that each organisation administers the GSA in your region before relying on this list; the authoritative, current list of AAAs is best maintained by AMI centrally.

How a school is matched to an AAA

Finding the agency best placed to accompany you

Being “allocated” to an AAA is less a bureaucratic assignment than finding the agency best placed to accompany you. In practice, a few simple principles guide the match:

Region comes first

Your local or regional AAA is your natural home. It understands the context your school operates in, the culture, the language, the economic realities, and can offer support that fits. If an AAA already serves your region, it becomes your first point of contact.

Language and context matter

Where more than one agency could serve you, the match considers which agency can work in your school's working language and best understands your setting, so that dialogue throughout the Self-Study and Review feels natural rather than translated.

Capacity and readiness

As a young programme, AAAs come online region by region, and each has its own capacity at any given moment. The match also considers which authorised agency is ready to take on and properly support new schools.

AMI coordinates the whole

AMI maintains oversight of the network and the global map. Where the right match is not obvious, a new region, an international school, a language not yet covered, AMI helps direct your school to an appropriate AAA.

Once matched, your AAA runs your entire journey: it orients you, helps you begin the Application for Candidacy, recommends a Coach for your Self-Study, assembles a conflict-free Review Team with experience at the age levels your school serves, and ultimately issues the accreditation determination under AMI authorisation.

No agency in your region yet?

What if there is no AAA in my region yet?

You can still take part. The network is expanding, and the absence of a local agency is not a barrier to beginning your journey. If there is no AAA in your region, you have two straightforward routes:

Begin with an AAA that works internationally

Some agencies, Montessori Institute Prague among them, are able to accompany schools beyond their immediate region, particularly where they share a working language. We can orient you, coach you through the Self-Study and coordinate your Review remotely and on-site.

Express your interest through AMI

AMI maintains the global picture of the programme and can direct your school to an appropriate agency, or note your region as one where an AAA may be established as the network grows.

Either way, the first step is the same: reach out. A short conversation is enough to work out the best path for your school.

Ask us where to begin
Choice & relationships

Can a school choose its AAA?

Mostly, matching follows region, language and capacity rather than free choice, the aim is to place your school with the agency best able to support it well. That said, the programme is built on relationships, not rigid boundaries.

If your region has an established AAA, that agency is normally your route into the programme. If your circumstances are less clear-cut, an international school, a region without an agency, or a strong existing relationship with a particular Montessori organisation, the best approach is to talk it through with us or with AMI, so the match serves your school rather than a rulebook.

Global consistency, local flexibility

What stays the same, wherever you are

Whichever AAA accompanies your school, the essentials of the GSA are consistent worldwide:

The same standards

Every school is reflected in the same Quality Areas, Standards and Indicators, maintained by AMI as the authoritative global framework.

The same developmental spirit

The process is a supportive, reflective inquiry, not a checklist or a ranking, in every region.

The same recognition

All accredited schools are recognised equally as AMI Accredited Schools; there is no public ranking or comparison between them.

Consistent core fees, locally adapted support

AMI's direct fees are fixed worldwide, while each AAA sets its own service fees responsibly within its regional and economic context, and communicates them clearly and in advance.

This balance, global consistency with local flexibility, is what lets the GSA hold a common standard while honouring the real diversity of Montessori communities around the world.

Montessori Institute Prague

Working with Montessori Institute Prague

Montessori Institute Prague is proud to serve as an Authorised Accrediting Agency for the GSA. If we are your regional agency, or if your school is elsewhere and would like an English-speaking AAA to accompany you, we would be glad to talk. We can orient your school, pair you with a Coach for the Self-Study, coordinate your Review Team, and stay in close communication from your first enquiry through accreditation and beyond.

Talk to us about accreditation

Not sure which agency is right for your school?

Tell us where your school is and what language you work in, and we will point you to the right Authorised Accrediting Agency, or, if it is a good fit, begin the journey with you directly. There is no obligation; it starts with a simple conversation.

Get in touch

Or email us directly at mirka@amiprague.cz

Global School Accreditation, news from the pilot

News & Pilot Updates

Following the Global School Accreditation on its road to launch.

Pilot phase now · Full launch January 2028

The GSA is in its pilot phase, with the full launch planned for January 2028. This is where we share what we are learning alongside our pilot schools, and the latest news as the programme grows.

Write us to express your interest
About the pilot

Leading the international pilot of the GSA

Montessori Institute Prague is leading the international pilot of the Global School Accreditation. The pilot puts the full process, the Self-Study, coaching, review and accreditation, into practice with real schools, so that when the programme launches it is thoroughly tested, genuinely supportive, and true to Montessori principles. It is deliberately developmental rather than evaluative: schools are invited to question and help refine the framework, not simply to be measured against it.

How it works for schools

Pilot schools join a Group Self-Study Coaching Programme, monthly coaching sessions across the school year, light optional work in between, and cross-country “accountability partnerships” so no school works alone. There are no hard deadlines; a school moves at its own pace, and a realistic timeframe to complete the Self-Study is two to three years. Coaching is co-facilitated by Mirka Vlčková (MIP) and Sue Pritzker, an AMI School Leadership trainer and accredited coach. Together the cohort works through the full framework, four Quality Areas, thirty-eight standards and the quality indicators beneath them.

A review visit is a celebration, not a test

A reviewer visits only once a school declares itself ready, and the visit is framed as a celebration of completed work rather than a pass-or-fail examination.

Where it is heading

Everything learned in the pilot feeds directly into the full programme, planned to launch in January 2028. A second, global cohort opens in September 2026, widening the circle of schools taking part. Schools that join now help shape a stronger process for the whole global Montessori community, and are among the first to travel the accreditation journey.

Updates

Latest first

August 2026

Looking ahead: a global cohort and our first review visits

The pilot enters an exciting new phase this autumn. A second, global cohort of the Group Self-Study Coaching Programme opens in September 2026, welcoming schools from a wider range of countries and contexts to work through the framework together. And having completed their Self-Study journey, our first pilot schools are now preparing to host the programme's very first on-site review visits, the celebratory milestone at the end of the journey. We will share more as these unfold on the road to the January 2028 launch.

June 2026

Our first cohort completes the full framework

Over twelve monthly sessions between March 2025 and June 2026, Montessori Institute Prague's first pilot cohort, schools across the Czech Republic, Romania and Lithuania, worked all the way through the Global School Accreditation framework, across all four Quality Areas. What stood out most was how much schools discovered they were already doing well: again and again, communities found they held far more evidence of quality than they had realised, in the reports, magazines, observation records and parent communication they produce every day. The clearest shared lesson was that quality lives in people and culture, and that the peer community itself, learning across levels and across countries, became one of the most valued parts of the experience. “Study the child” became the cohort's shared anchor.

March 2025

The GSA pilot begins at Montessori Institute Prague

Montessori Institute Prague launched the first live pilot of the Global School Accreditation, the first real-world test of the Self-Study instrument and the coaching model built around it. Developed by AMI over more than a decade, with its four Quality Areas and standards finalised at AMI in 2024, the framework now met the daily reality of schools for the first time. The pilot's purpose was set from the start as developmental: to surface the genuine questions and obstacles schools meet, and to build the practices that later cohorts, and other Authorised Accrediting Agencies, will inherit.

Want to follow the journey to launch?

We will post pilot milestones and programme news here as the Global School Accreditation moves toward its January 2028 launch. If you would like updates directly, or if your school is interested in a coaching cohort or the launch, get in touch and we will keep you posted.

Get in touch

Or email us directly at mirka@amiprague.cz

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