The Montessori School of Raleigh

What The Montessori School of Raleigh does

The Montessori School of Raleigh (MSR) is a nonprofit, independent private school founded in 1974 in Raleigh, North Carolina, operating the Montessori method for children ages 15 months through Grade 6 on a 10-acre, five-building campus at 7005 Lead Mine Road. Its academic model is structured around Maria Montessori's planes of development, with multi-age classrooms, prepared environments, hands-on Montessori manipulatives (Sandpaper Letters, Golden Beads, Pink Tower, Binomial Cube), and uninterrupted work cycles, supplemented by Suzuki Violin, technology, social-emotional learning, athletics, and a range of before/after-school and seasonal programs. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual tuition subscriptions that range from $15,750 for half-day Toddler/Children's House programs to $27,150 for Upper Elementary, with auxiliary fees for extended care ($2,500-$9,485), bus transportation ($1,150-$1,725), and tuition assistance processed through Clarity and NCSEAA-funded Opportunity Scholarship/ESA+ programs; the school also earns rental income on its gym, hall, fields, and classrooms.

MSR has expanded into secondary education through its wholly-owned subsidiary Carolina Preparatory Academy, a 40-acre Durham campus serving Grades 6-12 with the International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, creating a continuous K-12 pathway with bus service linking the two campuses. The institution is accredited by both the American Montessori Society and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (the first school in North Carolina to hold dual accreditation), is a member of NAIS and NCAIS, and was voted Best Private School in Raleigh. Governance rests with a Board of Trustees composed of parents, grandparents, alumni, and community members; the current Head of School, Monica Rodriguez, has announced a June 2027 departure, with moss+ross engaged as search counsel for her successor under the Board-approved "One Vision, Global Horizons" 2024-2029 strategic plan.

Name

The Montessori School of Raleigh

Legal name

The Montessori School of Raleigh

Website

https://msr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Montessori School of Raleigh is a nonprofit independent private school founded in 1974 that delivers Montessori education from infants (six weeks) through Grade 6 at its Raleigh Lead Mine Campus, with affiliated Carolina Preparatory Academy subsidiary offering IB programmes for Grades 6-12 in Durham, serving Triangle-area families in North Carolina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education (Montessori and International Baccalaureate)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Montessori K–12 Schools (EDAJABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Montessori Preschools (EDACABAC), Montessori Early Learning Academies (EDACADAA)

Keywords

• Montessori education
• Private K-12 education
• International Baccalaureate program
• Early childhood education
• Independent school

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Toddler Program: Tuition revenue from Toddler program (15 months - 3 years). Half-Day at $15,750; Full-Day at $24,150 for 2026-2027 school year.
2. Tuition - Children's House: Tuition revenue from Children's House program (ages 3-Kindergarten). Half-Day at $15,750; Full-Day at $24,150 for 2026-2027.
3. Tuition - Elementary: Tuition revenue from Elementary programs. Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3) at $25,150; Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6) at $27,150 for 2026-2027.
4. Auxiliary Programs: Before-School Care ($2,500), After-School Care ($6,385), All-Day Miners bundled care ($7,000-$9,485), Conference Care ($150/day), Bus Services ($1,150 individual/$1,725 family).
5. Tuition Assistance and Scholarships: School awards tuition assistance based on demonstrated family financial need through Clarity application process. Also accepts Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ funding from North Carolina.
6. Campus Rentals: Rental revenue from gym, great hall, fields, and classrooms at both MSR and Carolina Prep campuses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Montessori School of Raleigh operates an independent, nonprofit Montessori school providing Montessori education for children from 15 months through Grade 6 on its Lead Mine Campus in Raleigh, NC, with supplemental Nido infant care from 6 weeks and auxiliary programs such as before/after-school care, summer camps, athletics, Suzuki Violin, theater, and enrichment studios. Its subsidiary Carolina Preparatory Academy delivers International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma Programmes for Grades 6-12 on a separate Durham campus.

Product overview

The Montessori School of Raleigh (MSR) offers a comprehensive Montessori educational program from infants (6 weeks via Nido program) through grade 6, operating as a single unified educational institution. The core product is the Montessori Method curriculum delivered across multiple developmental levels: Toddler (15 months-3 years), Children's House (3 years-Kindergarten), Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3), and Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6). Supporting programs include specialty offerings such as Suzuki Violin, Technology, and Social-Emotional Learning, plus auxiliary programs like Before/After-School Care, SummerScape, After-School Studios, Athletics, and Spring Break Camp. A separate subsidiary, Carolina Preparatory Academy (grades 6-12), operates independently offering IB programs and is located on a different campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carolina Preparatory Academy: Formerly the Brier Creek Campus, serves students in grades 6-12 with the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10) and Diploma Programme (grades 11-12). Subsidiary of MSR.

Products and services

• Toddler Program Montessori program for children 15 months to 3 years, focusing on independence, language development, movement, and social-emotional growth through hands-on experiences at the MSR Lead Mine Campus.
• Children's House Program Montessori program for children 3 years through Kindergarten, emphasizing hands-on lessons, cursive writing, mathematical concepts with manipulatives, and cultural studies at the MSR Lead Mine Campus.
• Lower Elementary Program Montessori program for Grades 1-3, covering language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, Spanish, technology, music, art, and physical education aligned with state and national standards at the MSR Lead Mine Campus.
• Upper Elementary Program Montessori program for Grades 4-6 offering advanced abstract math, language studies, scientific method instruction, research projects, and interscholastic sports participation at the MSR Lead Mine Campus.
• Suzuki Violin Program Music education program offering violin instruction following the Suzuki method at MSR, including performance opportunities such as at the North Carolina Symphony.
• Technology Curriculum Technology education program covering keyboarding, software navigation, digital citizenship, and emerging technologies for collaboration and information sharing as part of MSR academics.
• Social-Emotional Learning Program Program providing emotional and learning support through interdisciplinary lessons, small group discussions, one-on-one sessions, and peace education at MSR.
• SummerScape (Summer Camp Program) Summer camp program offering engaging, hands-on experiences including arts, STEM, athletics, and enrichment activities taught by MSR teachers.
• After-School Studios After-school enrichment program featuring themed activities in sports, STEM, French language, theater, dance, pottery, and more for Children's House through Upper Elementary students.
• Athletics Program Athletic program offering 10 team sports including basketball, soccer, cross country, tennis, and volleyball for elementary and middle school students at MSR.
• Spring Break Camp Camp program offered during spring break with full-day care for eight hours per day at MSR.
• Before-School and After-School Care Extended care services provided before school (starting 7:30 a.m.) and after school (until 5:30 p.m.) for Toddler through Upper Elementary students at MSR.
• Nido Infant Program Expanded Montessori infant care program for children as young as six weeks, added in 2023 as part of MSR's Early Childhood program on the Lead Mine Campus.
• Carolina Preparatory Academy (IB Middle Years and Diploma Programmes) Separate subsidiary campus (grades 6-12) operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of MSR, offering International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10) and Diploma Programme (grades 11-12), located on a 40-acre Durham campus.
• Campus Rentals Rental of gym, great hall, fields, and classrooms at both the MSR Lead Mine and Carolina Prep campuses, available for external community use to generate additional revenue and engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students receive peace education curriculum
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Acies StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Acies Strategies Principle Consultant Brooke Carroll to formulate the School's 2024-2029 strategic plan 'One Vision, Global Horizons'. Brooke Carroll led the Board of Trustees and Leadership Team in a year-long strategic planning process with input from parents, students, faculty, staff, grandparents, and alumni.
• moss+rosscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSelected as search counsel to support identification of next Head of School. moss+ross has worked closely with MSR, Carolina Prep, and the Board of Trustees over many years and knows the school and community exceptionally well.
• Triangle Independent School ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSR is a member of the Triangle Independent School Consortium whose members recognize unique timetables for admissions. Schools coordinate to accommodate families who have applied to multiple schools.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationTuition assistance applications processed through Clarity platform. Clarity collects financial information and provides assessment reports to help determine family eligibility for tuition assistance.
• NCSEAA (North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority)minorOthersState agency administering Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ programs that MSR accepts for eligible families. Rising Kindergarten - Grade 12 families can apply for scholarship funding through NCSEAA.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Le Jardin Academy: Le Jardin Academy is a private K-12 school in Kailua, Hawaii, and part of the Inspired Group network of premium private schools. It is a similarly positioned, premium-fee independent school but in a different geography.
• Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill: Trinity School is a private, independent K-12 school in Durham, NC, sharing the Triangle market with MSR. It offers similar progressive, college-preparatory programming to affluent families in the same region.
• Canopy School (A.B. Emmons element): Canopy is a private Montessori school in Charlotte, NC, also serving infants through elementary. It is a regional Montessori peer competing in the same state but a different metro from MSR.

Broad incumbents

• The Goddard School: The Goddard School is a national franchise of private preschool and childcare programs serving infants through pre-K. It competes with MSR's infant (Nido), Toddler, and Children's House programs in the early childhood segment.
• Primrose Schools: Primrose Schools is a national franchise of private early childhood education and after-school programs. It competes with MSR's Toddler, Children's House, and auxiliary care programs, though it does not offer elementary or IB coursework.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Bright Horizons is a large public company providing employer-sponsored childcare and early education, including Montessori-style programs. It competes with MSR's toddler and pre-K offerings at scale across the country.

Direct peers

• Guidepost Montessori: Guidepost Montessori operates a large network of Montessori schools across the US, including in the Triangle area. It competes for families seeking authentic Montessori education from infancy through elementary, the same core offering as MSR.
• Durham Academy: Durham Academy is a private, independent PK-12 school in Durham, NC, directly competing with MSR and Carolina Prep in the Triangle. It offers similar comprehensive academic and enrichment programs to high-income families.
• Cary Academy: Cary Academy is a private, independent, coeducational day school serving grades 6-12 in Cary, NC, within the Triangle area. It directly competes with MSR and Carolina Prep for academically oriented families in the same regional market.
• Ravenscroft School: Ravenscroft is a private, independent PK-12 school in Raleigh, NC, sharing the same Triangle geography and family demographic. It is one of MSR's most direct competitors for premium private school enrollment in the Raleigh market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/themontessorischoolofraleigh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montessori-school-of-raleigh
• Instagraminstagram.com/msrminers

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Montessori School of Raleigh