Teacher Education Program Affiliation Steps
There are defined steps that teacher education programs (TEPs) aiming to achieve American Montessori Society affiliation must complete. One important step is that these TEPs must also be accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), the accrediting body for Montessori TEPs.
We recognize that the process of MACTE accreditation and AMS affiliation can be challenging and fulfilling, time-consuming and rewarding; we are here to provide support and encouragement along the way.
In addition to the information we provide online, we are also here for you via e-mail or phone. Write to Abbie Kelly, director of teacher education services, or call her at 212-358-1250 x315 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET).
For face-to-face support, please join us at our next Annual Conference, where—as always—we will offer a workshop on “Opening an AMS-Affiliated Teacher Education Program.” Regardless of where you are in the process—even if you are just in the “thinking-about-it” stage—we would be delighted to meet with you in person.
Getting Started
- Order and review the “AMS Handbook for Teacher Education Program Affiliation” (CD or electronic delivery). The handbook may be purchased from AMS for $40, $55, or $90, depending on the method of delivery you choose. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
- Order and review the “MACTE Commission Accreditation Handbook.” Visit www.macte.org to order the handbook and to learn more about the organization’s accreditation process.
- Complete the MACTE self-study; when you come to a requirement where the AMS standard exceeds the MACTE standard, prepare the AMS standard and insert it in the MACTE section. (This will allow you to take sections from the MACTE self-study and copy them into the AMS application documentation.)
- Complete the AMS affiliation application (cover page). Attach the application to the AMS documentation list. (All forms and applications are provided with purchase of the “AMS Handbook for Teacher Education Program Affiliation.”)
- Submit the AMS affiliation application, AMS documentation list, and all documentation, along with the current application fee (per course level, per site), to the AMS office: 116 E. 16th Street, New York, NY 10003, Attention: Abbie Kelly.
- Simultaneously, follow MACTE requirements for submission of your self-study for accreditation, advising them that you are seeking AMS affiliation. It is important that documents be submitted to AMS (as above) and to MACTE (as here) at the same time.
Next Steps
There are about a dozen steps in the AMS affiliation process. The average time taken to complete them—if done concurrently with MACTE accreditation—is 24 months.
For an overview of the steps, follow this link.