Montessori Renaissance Academy (MRA) is a private, nonsectarian, nonprofit Montessori school located in Anoka, Minnesota. The school serves children from 16 months through 8th grade and has been in continuous operation for more than 20 years. MRA holds 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and is governed by an independent board of directors.
No. MRA is a private, tuition-funded school with no religious affiliation. Education at MRA aligns with national academic standards, but the school operates independently of any public school district.
No. MRA is a fully independent private school. It does not receive public funding. In the Anoka area, most Montessori options are either charter schools or religiously affiliated schools. MRA is neither.
No. MRA is nonsectarian and welcomes families of all backgrounds and beliefs.
More than 20 years. The school transitioned from private ownership to its current nonprofit structure in 2017, and the curriculum and many staff members have remained consistent throughout that transition.
MRA is governed by a fiduciary board of directors. Several board members are current parents, and the board also includes community members and local business leaders. Families interact directly with board members and staff; there is no district layer between them.
1333 5th Ave, Anoka, MN 55303. The school is in Anoka County, about 25 miles north of Minneapolis. Families from Anoka, Ramsey, Champlin, Coon Rapids, Andover, Maple Grove, and surrounding communities attend MRA.
MRA serves children from 16 months through 8th grade. The full range of programs includes the Toddler program, Children’s House (preschool through kindergarten), Elementary 1 (grades 1-3), Elementary 2 (grades 4-6), and Middle School (grades 7-8).
Call Montessori Renaissance Academy at 763-323-0741 to schedule a private tour and receive an enrollment application.
Partial scholarships are available. Contact the school directly for details.
Yes. Busing is available for 1st through 8th grade. Busing is provided by the Anoka-Hennepin school district, and families must reside in that school district to get busing.
Montessori education is built on child-led learning within carefully structured environments. Children work with hands-on materials, move through curriculum based on demonstrated mastery rather than age, and develop independence and self-direction over time. At MRA, this approach runs from toddlerhood through 8th grade.
Students direct their own work within environments designed to support that. Classrooms are multi-age, so children are not tracked by birthdate or grouped with only same-age peers. Teachers observe and guide rather than deliver whole-class instruction. Students progress through material when they have mastered it, not when the calendar says it is time.
Yes. Elementary programming aligns with national academic standards. For the youngest students, the program meets Minnesota’s licensed child care requirements.
MRA tracks progress through ongoing teacher observation and individualized lesson records rather than relying solely on standardized tests. The results speak to the approach: MRA students test an average of two to three grade levels above their national peers on standardized assessments.
On average, students in our E1 program are testing at least one grade level higher than their current grade. Half of our E2 students are testing two or more grade levels higher than their current grade. Last year, more than half of our Middle School students tested three or more grade levels higher than their current grade.
MRA teachers hold credentials from multiple Montessori certifying bodies. The school draws from both AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) and AMS (American Montessori Society) methodologies. The deciding factor is what the evidence indicates is best for each child, not loyalty to a single certification body.
MRA’s teachers hold recognized Montessori credentials. The school itself does not currently hold institutional Montessori accreditation. Families evaluating the authenticity of any Montessori program should ask about teacher credentials, multi-age classroom structure, and use of Montessori materials; those are the operational indicators of genuine practice.
MRA offers both a music program and a dedicated technology program. These are part of the regular school program, not optional enrichment. Both are uncommon in Montessori schools. MRA also offers a gym program at all levels.
MRA separates technology education from the regular classroom environment by design. Montessori classrooms at MRA remain hands-on and materials-based, with minimal screens or laptops in the learning space. Technology instruction takes place in a dedicated tech classroom.
At the younger ages, students focus on digital citizenship: what it means to use technology responsibly and ethically. In Elementary 2 (grades 4-6), students participate in the robotics program. In middle school, technology is incorporated more directly into daily academic work to prepare students for high school expectations.
The goal is students who are capable, thoughtful technology users, not students who have simply had access to devices.
Children’s House hours are 8:15 AM to 2:45 PM. Elementary 1, Elementary 2, and Middle School hours are 7:40 AM to 2:10 PM.
Yes. Before-school care begins at 7:00 AM. After-school care runs until 5:30 PM.
MRA maintains a 1:7 ratio for Toddlers and a 1:10 ratio for Children’s House. Upper levels are approximately 8.4:1. Most public school districts operate above 20:1.
MRA enrolls fewer than 150 students across all grades. That size means teachers know students across multi-year classroom cycles, parents have direct access to staff and board members, and students are known individually. The small scale is not incidental; it is part of how the school works.
The Toddler program serves children from 16 months to approximately 32 months. It introduces the Montessori environment at an early age, with a focus on independence and practical life skills. Children move freely through the classroom, choose their own work, and begin building concentration and self-care routines. MRA’s Toddler program operates as a licensed child care facility under the State of Minnesota.
Children’s House serves children from approximately 32 months through the end of kindergarten. It is a multi-age environment where children stay for several years, building academic and developmental foundations through hands-on Montessori materials. Class hours are 8:15 AM to 2:45 PM. MRA’s Preschool program operates as a licensed child care facility under the State of Minnesota.
Elementary 1 is a mixed-age classroom for grades 1 through 3. Students work with Montessori materials across major subject areas, with materials becoming more abstract as mastery develops. Programming aligns with national academic standards. MRA students at this level test an average of one to two grade levels above their national peers.
Elementary 2 serves grades 4 through 6 in a multi-age classroom. Work becomes increasingly abstract and students take on more independent responsibility. The robotics program, music program, and digital citizenship curriculum are active at this level. Elementary 2 students are also active in the local community, frequently taking local bus routes to local establishments and field trips, and connecting with business owners in the community.
The Middle School program at MRA (grades 7-8) is rare in Montessori education; most Montessori schools do not extend past 6th grade. At this level, Montessori principles are combined with direct preparation for high school. Students begin using textbooks, technology use increases, and the curriculum moves toward a more traditional structure. MRA graduates go on to a mix of public and private high schools and specialty programs.
Most Montessori schools in the Twin Cities are either religiously affiliated or publicly funded charter schools. MRA is a private, nonsectarian, independently governed school with over 22 years of continuous operation. It is one of the few schools in the region offering authentic Montessori from 16 months through 8th grade, with no religious filter on enrollment and no public funding constraints on curriculum.
Continuity through 8th grade is a feature of MRA’s design, not a limitation. By middle school, students have spent years developing independence, self-direction, and mastery-based learning habits. The middle school program builds on that foundation while actively preparing students for high school through increasing academic rigor, textbook use, and technology integration. MRA graduates go on to a range of high schools and are consistently well-prepared for the transition.
MRA is the combination of authentic, credentialed Montessori practice spanning 16 months through 8th grade; a nonsectarian, nonprofit governance structure with parent board members; academic outcomes averaging two to three grade levels above national peers; and programs in music, technology, robotics, and digital citizenship that extend the Montessori environment without replacing it.
For enrollment inquiries, contact Montessori Renaissance Academy at (763) 323-0741 or visit anokamontessori.org.