The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School

What The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School does

The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School is a nonprofit independent private school in Pepper Pike, Ohio, founded in 1963, serving approximately 190 students from age 18 months through 8th grade on a single 14-acre campus at 27575 Shaker Blvd. The school delivers an authentic Montessori curriculum across six sequential program levels — Toddler, Children's House (ages 3-6), Kindergarten, Elementary I (grades 1-3), Elementary II (grades 4-6), and Middle School (grades 7-8) — maintaining a 12:1 student-teacher ratio. The institution is rooted in Jewish values while positioning itself as a diverse, welcoming global community, and its student body draws from approximately 30 communities across Northeast Ohio.

The school's core technology is the Montessori educational methodology, delivered through physical Montessori materials and child-led experiential learning. Programmatic differentiation is supported by the Samuel H. and Maria Miller Literacy for All program (launched 2019 with a four-year, $75,000/year foundation grant), 15 after-school programs and sports, a summer camp, and monthly public STEM Nights. The school is accredited by the Independent School Association of Central States (ISACS) and holds Ohio's 5-Star Step Up To Quality rating (2020).

The business model is tuition-based private school revenue with financial aid and multi-child discounts available; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Enrollment is direct, funneled through the school's website, open houses, Montessori mornings, and campus tours, and is supported by a six-member Board of Trustees and a Head of School (Mike Griffith). Growth is funded primarily by tuition and ancillary program fees, with supplemental philanthropic grants and a Giving/donation channel.

Name

The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School

Legal name

The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School

Website

https://theratnerschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School is a nonprofit independent private school founded in 1963 in Pepper Pike, Ohio, serving approximately 190 students ages 18 months through 8th grade on a 14-acre campus with a 12:1 student-teacher ratio and ISACS accreditation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Montessori Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61), Child Care Services (624410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Montessori K–12 Schools (EDAJABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Montessori education
• Private school
• Early childhood education
• Elementary education
• Middle school education

Headquarters

HQ city

Pepper Pike

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School provides Montessori education to children ages 18 months through 8th grade on a 14-acre campus in Pepper Pike, Ohio. It sells enrollment in six sequential age-graded programs (Toddler, Children's House, Kindergarten, Elementary I, Elementary II, and Middle School) and supplements these with 15 after-school programs and sports, a summer camp, and a literacy intervention program funded by the Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation.

Product overview

The Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School offers a comprehensive Montessori education program serving students from ages 18 months through 8th grade. The school operates as a unified educational platform with multiple program levels: Toddler Program, Children's House (preschool ages 3-6), Kindergarten, Elementary I (grades 1-3), Elementary II (grades 4-6), and Middle School (grades 7-8). These programs follow the Montessori educational methodology and are supported by enrichment components including 15 after school programs and sports, a summer camp, and monthly STEM Nights events. The school also offers the Samuel H. and Maria Miller Literacy for All Program, a specialized reading intervention initiative developed in partnership with the Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation. The curriculum includes the Great Lessons framework in elementary levels and emphasizes child-led, experiential learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Toddler Program Montessori program for children ages 18 months to 3 years, focusing on developmental independence and early learning foundations.
• Children's House Montessori program for children ages 3 to 6 years (preschool and pre-kindergarten), promoting independence, social development, and pre-academic skills.
• Kindergarten Full-day kindergarten program following Montessori methodology for continued developmental and academic growth.
• Elementary I (Grades 1-3) Lower elementary Montessori program covering grades 1-3, featuring the Great Lessons curriculum and hands-on learning experiences.
• Elementary II (Grades 4-6) Upper elementary Montessori program covering grades 4-6, transitioning to the full Montessori curriculum.
• Middle School (Grades 7-8) Middle school program for grades 7-8, applying Montessori principles to adolescent development and academic preparation for high school.
• After School Programs and Sports 15 after-school programs and sports activities available for enrolled students.
• Summer Camp Montessori summer camp combining classic summer fun with Montessori education, featuring nature walks, art, music, and Montessori materials activities.
• STEM Nights Monthly public STEM events from 5:00pm-7:00pm for Kindergarten through 8th grade students and families, featuring building challenges, science experiments, technology, and math activities; $5 fee per attendee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates attend top-performing high schools in the region

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Hawken School: Highly regarded private K-12 day school in Gates Mills, Ohio. A major feeder for graduates from the same Cleveland-area family pool, and a broader incumbent that competes for the same tuition-paying families seeking premium private education.
• Beaumont School: All-girls Catholic college-prep high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Named as a common graduate destination for Ratner students and a broader incumbent competing for the same Cleveland East Side families.
• Benedictine High School: Catholic college-prep high school in Cleveland, Ohio. Listed as a graduate destination for Ratner students and a broader incumbent serving the same tuition-paying Cleveland families.
• Andrews Osborne Academy: Independent co-ed day and boarding school in Willoughby, Ohio serving grades PK-12. Listed as a graduate destination for Ratner students and serves the same Northeast Ohio tuition-paying family market at a larger scale.
• Gilmour Academy: Independent Catholic school in Gates Mills, Ohio serving grades PK-12. Comparable as a larger, better-resourced private school in the same Cleveland East Side catchment that competes for the same family demographic.
• Western Reserve Academy: Independent co-ed boarding and day school in Hudson, Ohio serving grades 9-12. Listed as a common graduate destination for Ratner students and competes indirectly for the same education-prioritizing Cleveland-area families.

Regional players

• Cincinnati Country Day School: Independent PK-12 day school in Cincinnati, Ohio. Operates a similar full-age-range private school model with comparable tuition and program structure but in a different Ohio region rather than direct Cleveland overlap.

Emerging players

• Magnolia Montessori: Smaller, community-rooted Montessori program in Northeast Ohio serving preschool/early elementary ages. Comparable as a niche Montessori competitor with overlapping methodology, though smaller in scale and program scope than Ratner.

Direct peers

• Ruffing Montessori School: Independent Montessori school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio serving toddler through 8th grade. Direct peer because it is a same-methodology, same-age-range, same-geography school competing for the same Cleveland-area tuition-paying families.
• Hershey Montessori School: Montessori school with campuses in Concord Township and Huntsburg, Ohio, serving infants through adolescence. Comparable as an Ohio-based, full-age-range Montessori institution targeting tuition-paying families in Northeast Ohio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ratnerschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheRatnerSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/ratnerschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lillian-and-betty-ratner-montessori-school

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Lillian and Betty Ratner Montessori School