Build the school you've always imagined

For Educators

Wildflower Teacher Leaders don't leave the classroom to lead a school. They do both, serving as the lead educator in the classroom and the founder of their own small, community-embedded Montessori school. Every one of the Wildflower schools across the U.S. and Puerto Rico started this way, each a unique expression of its Teacher Leaders and the community it serves.

Start a small, teacher-led Montessori school

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Two Pathways

Wildflower schools operate as independent nonprofits or as public charter schools. Both are small, teacher-led, and authentically Montessori, but they're built differently. Here's how to find the pathway that fits your vision.

Independent

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Tuition-based nonprofit Montessori school

An independent Wildflower school is a private, tuition-based nonprofit that you and a co-Teacher Leader build from the ground up. While tuition-based, most Wildflower schools use sliding scale tuition and state childcare subsidies to remain accessible to families. You set the vision, lead the classroom, and govern the school alongside your board. To get there, Wildflower supports your startup through its School Startup Journey, a dedicated Operations Guide, guiding you from first idea to opening day.

Good fit if:

You are Montessori-trained educator desiring full ownership and autonomy over your school's vision
You have or are committed to finding a co-Teacher Leader partner
You're ready for an entrepreneurial, community-embedded journey
Your state offers subsidies, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), vouchers, or similar funding that support your program's sustainability

Explore the Independent Pathway

Public Charter

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Growth

Tuition-free public Montessori school

A Wildflower public charter school is tuition free and open to every school-aged child, regardless of family income. You can found a new charter with an authorizer or open a new site under an existing Wildflower charter. Either way, you continue leading a classroom as a Teacher Leader, supported by an administrative partner and the broader Wildflower charter network. For those preparing to apply to a state authorizer for a new charter, we also offer the Wildflower Charter Incubator, a founder development program that catalyzes your vision for a tuition-free Montessori school.

Good fit if:

You are Montessori-trained educator and serving families regardless of ability to pay is central to your vision
You have, or are building, a team that includes both a Montessori trained (or soon to be trained) co-Teacher Leaders and an administrative partner
You want to work within the public system and see your model influence district schools, not just your own
You're comfortable with a longer runway to opening, given the public authorization process

Explore the Charter Pathway