Montessori Public Policy Initiative (MPPI) Update

Montessori Public Policy Initiative (MPPI) Update By Denise Monnier, Director of State Advocacy

Last month, the Montessori Public Policy Initiative (MPPI) virtually hosted our 2020 State Advocacy Conference. Leaders from 6 national organizations and representatives from public, private, and charter Montessori schools across 31 states came together to sharpen their advocacy skills and share their knowledge and experience in order to advance equity, access and implementation of Montessori education. Additionally, MPPI shared our new vision statement with conference participants:

MPPI envisions a world enriched and made equitable through widely accessible and fully implemented Montessori education.

In accordance with this vision, the keynote address and one of the workshop sessions were devoted to deepening attendees’ understanding of the connections between policy, systemic racism, and advocacy. Dr. Valaida Wise reviewed the history of structural racism in the U.S. and how this has shaped economic and social institutions to ground attendees in how we bring racial justice into our work as Montessori advocates. Keynote speaker Dr. Iheoma Iruka also presented on the importance of maintaining a racial equity lens and considering the root causes of disparities in education to ensure education excellence for all children, but especially those in marginalized or oppressed communities.

In addition to the sessions examining racial equity, participants received tools and information on giving successful testimony during legislative sessions, the importance of research-informed advocacy, and how to navigate relationship building with policy makers. Dr. Angeline Lillard discussed recent studies which support positive outcomes in adulthood including higher self-esteem, stronger sense of self, and increased likelihood to achieve professional goals for children who attended Montessori school in elementary years. MPPI state advocacy leaders Dalia Avello (Oregon Montessori Association), Diane Force (Pennsylvania Montessori Alliance), Vyju Kadambi (United Montessori Schools of Indiana), and Martha Teien (Colorado Montessori Association) offered insights about building relationships with policymakers to enact key policy changes. And MPPI Executive Director, Wendy Shenk-Evans gave practical tips on preparing to give effective testimony to support your advocacy efforts.

Despite the context of COVID-19 and hosting the conference virtually, there have been overwhelming positive responses on the success of the conference. Attendees shared their favorite moments of the weekend and indicated their excitement to use what they learn at the conference in their current work. Additionally, attendees expressed their eagerness to start looking at their own role in structural racism and how they can better advocate for all Montessori children. Sessions from the MPPI Conference are available as recordings HERE (https://montessoripublicpolicyinitiative.wildapricot. org/EmailTracker/LinkTracker.ashx?linkAndRecipientCode=nbs5WfqVxRV6XoZVim2wJWC2FNLNQmLqfDwYGd9ggimqhtbj T6JRdAZzsJiJZfuqMMm%2bp%2bv3zYm4kNYPAc1oo7PYiiE7GZj9Mec8BrfioCg%3d)

MPPI has been busy at work in the state of Florida over the last few months. Florida Montessori schools have had the opportunity to participate in the Florida VPK and School Readiness programs for the last 5 years with Montessori as an approved curriculum. That curriculum approval expired this year and MPPI, working in collaboration with AMS, AMI-USA, IMC, MEPI, and Florida Montessorians, has been working to get that approval reinstated. A request for a waiver to both submit the application and for programs to continue to choose Montessori as their curriculum until that application is approved was granted last month. The waiver request process required legal representation, and we want to thank Kim Vyjelja and Imagination Station Montessori for many hours of work and also the financial support for that process. If your school will benefit from this curriculum approval and you are able to contribute to those costs, please contact imaginationstn@bellsouth.net.

MPPI staff are busy at work completing the application and we are optimistic we will be hearing that the Montessori curriculum has been approved in the coming months.

MPPI supports work such as this towards state level policy change and we are always looking for more Montessorians to get involved and influence positive change. Our team is committed to offer the most up-to-date information in the education policy landscape and provide advocacy tools to assist Montessori advocates in their work. You can find resources, connect to your state advocacy group and get state policy information on our website or contact us directly for support.