Our Story 

The Journey of Urban Community Montessori

What began in August 2021 with eight children, six families, and one Primary classroom has grown into a thriving Montessori community serving children from 18 months through elementary. Every year has brought new opportunities, meaningful partnerships, and continued growth—all rooted in our commitment to providing authentic Montessori education that is equitable, accessible, and centered on the whole child.

2021–2022 | Planting the Seeds

• UCM opened its doors with 8 students representing 6 families in one Primary (ages 3–6) environment.

• Families represented 6 Jefferson County zip codes.

• UCM launched its sliding-scale tuition model, making Montessori education accessible to families by providing tuition assistance to 3 families.

2022–2023 | Growing Our Community

• Expanded to include our first Lower Elementary Environment.

• Enrollment increased to 19 students across the Primary and Lower Elementary programs.

• Welcomed 3 Guides and 2 Apprentices to our growing team.

• Expanded our curriculum to include Environmental Science.

• Received grant funding to establish and sustain our community garden.

• Launched a monthly Parent Education Program to strengthen partnerships with families.

• Partnered with Birmingham Talks to offer Phonics Power for rising kindergarten students.

• Celebrated our second Kindergarten graduation.

• Families represented 11 Jefferson County zip codes.

• Approximately 50% of enrolled families benefited from our sliding-scale tuition program.

2023–2024 | Expanding Opportunities

• Added a Transition Environment (18 months–3 years) and a second Primary Environment.

• Enrollment grew to 36 students across four prepared environments.

• Expanded our staff with 5 Guides and 2 Apprentices.

• Families represented 18 Jefferson County zip codes.

• Approximately 60% of enrolled families received sliding-scale tuition assistance.

2024–2025 | Strengthening Our Foundation

• Achieved a 95% student retention rate with 37 enrolled students.

• Celebrated the graduation of 8 kindergarten students, all of whom continued into our Lower Elementary program.

• Ms. Anna earned her MACTE Early Childhood Montessori Certification.

• UCM earned WASC Accreditation, affirming our commitment to educational excellence.

• Became an approved Alabama CHOOSE Act participating school, allowing many elementary families to receive tuition assistance.

• Approximately 85% of eligible Kindergarten and Elementary families received CHOOSE Act tuition support while UCM continued its commitment to sliding-scale tuition for qualifying families.

2025–2026 | Reaching New Milestones

This past school year marked another exciting chapter in UCM's journey.

• Enrollment continued to grow as more families sought an authentic Montessori education rooted in equity, opportunity, and belonging.

• We celebrated our fifth year of serving Birmingham families, continuing to nurture children through hands-on learning and strong family partnerships.

• UCM maintained its commitment to accessibility by continuing to provide tuition support through both our sliding-scale model and the Alabama CHOOSE Act.

• We prepared for one of the most exciting milestones in our history—a new campus that will allow our community to continue growing for years to come.

Our Mission

Urban Community Montessori (UCM) provides an authentic Montessori foundation where children experience an inclusive environment rich with opportunities to explore, learn, grow, and thrive. UCM is committed to creating a welcoming space birthed from the importance of equity, opportunity, and accessibility to all children.