Crabapple Montessori School

ABOUT > Accreditation & Standards

The Value of Accreditation

Earning and maintaining accreditation by both the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and COGNIA (the umbrella organization for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) is a rigorous process that benefits our students, faculty and our community. The standards apply to every facet of our educational environment and program, and demonstrate that we are meeting local and international standards of excellence all across the board.

AMI Certification

The Association Montessori Internationale Certificate of Recognition, which we hold – though not every Montessori school does – extends credibility throughout the educational community, as well as within the Montessori community. It ensures that the Montessori principles, created by Dr. Montessori, are faithfully put into practice in the interest of all children.

As an authentic, private Montessori school, we have worked diligently to attain AMI certification, which is granted only after a review process every three years to ensure that certain standards are being met including –

  • AMI-certified teachers in the classroom,
  • appropriate class size and age representation in each class, and
  • complete sets of materials from a manufacturer authorized by AMI.

For a more in-depth description of the AMI accreditation standards, please visit the AMI website.

COGNIA Accreditation

Crabapple Montessori School is also accredited by COGNIA. COGNIA accredits public and private schools. It represents over 36,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States and in 80 countries worldwide, educating 25 million students.


The following description is excerpted from an overview on the COGNIA website:

Based on a set of rigorous research-based standards and evidence-based criteria, the accreditation process examines the whole institution–its policies, programs, practices, learning conditions, and cultural context–to determine how well the parts work together to carry out the institution’s vision and meet the needs of every learner. Accreditation isn’t about passing a one-time inspection. Rather, accreditation recognizes education providers that demonstrate and sustain their commitments to continuous improvement and better learner outcomes.


You may find it helpful to follow this link within the Cognia website to get a comprehensive picture of all of the standards that Crabapple Montessori School meets as an accredited school.

Share by: