Preschool Franchise Opportunities: A Practical Guide to Montessori School Chains and Franchises in US and Canada
Montessori schools in North America take many different forms. Some are small, community-based programs. Others are part of larger organizations with multiple campuses. A smaller number also offer preschool franchise opportunities.
For prospective preschool owners and early education entrepreneurs, understanding this landscape can be challenging. Information about Montessori chains and franchise models is often scattered, outdated, or difficult to verify.
Which is why I’ve created this guide.
It brings together publicly available information on Montessori organizations that operate multiple schools in the United States and Canada. It is written for readers exploring preschool ownership or franchise opportunities and offers a clear, neutral view of how different Montessori groups are structured.
It is not a ranking or a recommendation. The goal is simply to provide clarity early in the research process, so that you know what you are looking at before exploring individual organizations in more depth.
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⚠️ Important note on accuracy
School ownership, leadership, and organizational structures can change over time. Many private education groups do not publish centralized leadership details or national contact information. - This guide relies only on publicly available sources at the time of writing. When information is not clearly available, it is stated as such. No assumptions have been made.
- Inclusion in this guide is for informational purposes only and does not imply endorsement. Some organizations listed are illumine customers. Where that applies, it is noted.
1. Montessori Chains That Do Not Franchise
These groups run their own schools. They do not sell franchise units.
United States
| Brand / Chain | Principal Officer (publicly listed) | Main Office / HQ (mailing) | Web | Main Office Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guidepost Montessori (Guidepost Global / Higher Ground) | Steve Xu, Global CEO | Under Guidepost Global. Higher Ground was in Lake Forest, California. Public updates mention Austin, Texas as the new HQ city. No full address listed. | guidepostmontessori.com | No national phone line. Campus phones only. |
| Montessori Unlimited (Learning Care Group) | Cheryl Lacost, VP and General Manager | Learning Care Group, Inc., 21333 Haggerty Rd, Suite 300, Novi, MI 48375 | learningcaregroup.com | (248) 697 9000 |
| LePort Montessori (Spring Education Group) | Jim McNamara, CEO | 19500 Skypark Dr, Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92614 | leport.com | Contact handled by web form and campuses |
| Apple Montessori Schools | Andrea Vargas, CEO | 710 Route 46, Fairfield, NJ 07004 | applemontessorischools.com | (973) 283 6400 |
| Montessori School of Downtown (Houston area) | D. S. Ahlawat, CEO | 2525 County Road 90, Pearland, TX, 77584 | montessoridowntown.com | Campus numbers only |
| Children’s Manor and Children’s Magnet Montessori Schools (Maryland) | Not listed publicly | 4465 Montgomery Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21043 | childrensmagnet.com | (410) 461 6070 |
| Endeavor Montessori (Endeavor Schools) | Ricardo Campo, CEO | 9350 South Dixie Highway, Suite 950, Miami, FL 33156 | endeavormontessori.com | (305) 677 8670 |
Canada
| Brand / Chain | Principal Officer (publicly listed) | Main Office / HQ | Web | Main Office Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Songbirds Montessori School | Preeti Paul, Owner, Director | 49 Wellington Street West, Brampton, ON L6Y 1K8, Canada | songbirdsmontessorischool.com | (905) 451 7757 |
| Central Montessori Schools (CMS) | Minoo Mohajer, Founder, Head of School | 18 Coldwater Rd, North York, ON M3B 1Y7 | cmschool.net | (416) 510 1200 |
| Montessori by BrightPath (Busy Bees) | Listed at group level only | Multiple Canadian cities | brightpathkids.com/montessori-brightpath | Campus phones only |
2. Montessori Chains That Offer Preschool Franchise Opportunities
These groups run some of their own schools. They also sell franchise units.
United States
| Brand / Chain | Principal Officer (publicly listed) | Main Office / HQ | Web | Main Office Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearlily Montessori (Fomento Schools) | Robert Bolongaita | PO Box 3952, Dublin, OH 43016 | fomentoschools.com | (614) 495 7196 |
| Montessori Kids Universe (MKU) | Nancy Poulos Boehm, CEO | 4521 PGA Blvd, Number 156, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 | montessorikidsuniverse.com | (561) 339 9121 |
| Pinnacle Montessori Academy | Kaki Reddy, Founder and CEO | 811 S Central Expressway, Suite 306, Richardson, TX 75080 | pinnaclemontessori.com | (866) 802 1192 |
| Montessori Ivy League Academy | Shaun Ajani, Owner. Salma Ajani, Director. | 282 S Flamingo Rd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 | montessoriivyleague.com | (954) 438 8808 |
| Forever Learning Montessori | Not listed | 11411 Windfern Rd, Suite 290, Houston, TX 77064 | foreverlearningmontessori.com | (832) 722 6946 |
A closer look: Pearlily Montessori (Fomento Schools)
Pearlily Montessori is an early childhood Montessori model based in Dublin, Ohio. Fomento Schools is the franchising organization behind it, and the original Pearlily school in Dublin serves as the prototype for the system.
The model pairs core Montessori practice (prepared environments, mixed-age classrooms, uninterrupted work cycles, hands-on materials and trained guides) with a franchise operating system covering planning, setup, enrollment, staffing, training and ongoing support.
Fomento offers two ownership paths:
- Educator-Led Model: for owners who lead the school's academic vision and classroom culture.
- Operator-Led Model: for owners focused on business operations, working alongside a qualified Montessori educational leader.
In both, Fomento says it looks for owners who take an active leadership role rather than passive investors. Pearlily Montessori is listed in the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Franchise Directory, which can give eligible franchisees access to SBA-backed financing. As with any franchise, offers are made only through a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
Pearlily Montessori is an illumine customer.
Canada
| Brand / Chain | Principal Officer (publicly listed) | Main Office / HQ | Web | Main Office Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angus Valley Montessori Schools (AVM) | Not listed | 90 Gough Rd, Unit 1, Second Floor, Markham, ON | avmschoolsfranchise.com | Not clearly listed |
| Kinderbrook Montessori School | Nourin Thayani, Director | 1 Credit Union Dr, Toronto, ON | kinderbrookmontessori.com | Campus numbers only |
| My First Montessori School | Not listed | 11210 Creditview Rd, Unit C, Brampton, ON L7A 4X3 | myfirstmontessori.ca | (289) 401 0650 |
Final Thoughts
Montessori schools may differ in size, structure, and ownership model, but the heart of the work remains the same. Strong leadership, thoughtful systems, and a genuine commitment to children and families matter far more than organizational labels.
For those exploring preschool franchise opportunities, especially within the Montessori space, clarity at the research stage helps leaders move forward with intention. If this guide helps you approach Montessori preschool franchise opportunities with better questions and a clearer sense of direction, it has done what it set out to do.
Montessori Franchise FAQs
FAQs
1. Are there franchise-only Montessori systems that do not operate their own schools?
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No. All major Montessori school franchise systems in the United States and Canada operate at least one school themselves. None offer franchise systems without hands-on experience running a campus.
2. What is the difference between a Montessori chain and a Montessori franchise?
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A Montessori chain operates company-owned schools under a single ownership group. A Montessori franchise allows independent owners to run schools under an established brand, similar to other child care franchise opportunities, but with Montessori-specific standards and expectations.
3. Does being part of a Montessori franchise guarantee the same quality across schools?
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No. While a daycare franchise or Montessori franchise provides structure and guidance, day-to-day quality depends on local leadership, staff training, and classroom practice.
