As we step into 2026, we’re returning to a core question: what becomes possible when teachers are trusted to lead—and children are known deeply?

Aster Montessori opened with a simple but ambitious question: How can we make high-quality Montessori education accessible to more families in Cambridge, MA—while building a school where teachers thrive? In a city known for innovation, diversity, and commitment to early childhood education, Aster’s Teacher Leaders saw an opportunity to create something rare: a small, community-embedded Montessori school that could serve a mixed-income population.

A new national study offers strong evidence that public Montessori preschool supports lasting gains for children—while costing less to deliver than traditional programs.