Riley Institute Montessori study creates media buzz

With a study as comprehensive as the Riley Institute’s newly published findings on the benefits of the public sector Montessori school model, there’s little wonder why it has generated such a stir among media outlets in the education sphere. The study shows that low-income, non-low-income, black, white, male, and female students in Montessori schools demonstrated significantly more progress than their non-Montessori peers, reported The 74, a non-profit, non-partisan news site covering education in America.

Montessori Public also unpacked the findings and said, “The researchers and funders associated with the Riley Institute at Furman that made this [study] happen have delivered a phenomenal contribution to Montessori research.” The study is mentioned in the Index-Journal (Greenwood, S.C.) where the Self Family Foundation is applauded for supporting the research, and more recently, here, where the study’s author, Brooke Culclasure of the Riley Institute, said, “[South Carolina is] seen as a leader in Montessori, particularly in public schools, and that’s … very impressive.”

Earlier, blogger Sarah D. Sparks of Education Week said, “South Carolina’s push to bring the century-old Montessori model to public classrooms may be paying off in both student performance and creativity.”