Program Pathways
Elevate your journey in Montessori Secondary education
CMStep’s Low-Residency pathway combines online coursework with short in-person intensives, making it possible to earn your AMS Secondary I-II Credential from wherever you are.
Application Deadlines
Low-Residency Cohort 6, Section 2 (Cincinnati, Ohio): January 23, 2026
View the CMStep Cohort Pacing Guide for upcoming coursework dates
Low-Residency
In-Person Coursework
- In-Person Summer Coursework: 16 days, spread over 2 summers (11 days in Summer 1, 5 days in Summer 2)
- Fall Intensive: 3 days
Online Coursework
- Minimesters: Regular online coursework organized into nine four-week sessions (25 hours each)
- Summer Coursework: Virtual, synchronous sessions spread over two summers (2 days after in-person Summer 1 and 2 days after in-person Summer 2)
- Mindfulness Minimester: A 2-week online course held in November – December
- Practicum Zooms: Semi-weekly virtual sessions during the practicum year following Summer 1
- The Overview Course: A required, self-paced online course to be completed before credential is awarded
- Introduction to Secondary Montessori: Required before beginning Minimester I (Low-Residency only)
Prerequisites
Before certain parts of the program begin, the following items must be completed:
- Introduction to Secondary Montessori: Required before starting Minimester I (Low-Residency only). This six-week, paced online course introduces Montessori philosophy, adolescent development, and the structure of secondary classrooms.
- Pretraining Readings: Required for all cohorts and assigned prior to Minimester I. These readings provide foundational context for the academic coursework.
- The Overview Course: This required, self-paced course introduces Montessori philosophy and Elementary-level practices. It must be completed before your credential is awarded (unless you already hold an EL Montessori credential). This course is available with rolling enrollment from January 1 – December 31. You’ll have access from your start date until December 31 of the same year to complete it.
Application Deadline: January 23, 2026
Please email after the deadline to see if space is still available.
Training Begins: January 25, 2026
Training begins with the Introduction to Secondary Montessori course, beginning January 25, 2026. If you’ve already completed this course, please be sure to indicate that on your application.
Formal academic coursework begins with Minimester I in Spring 2026.
In-person training sessions will take place in Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Summer 2027.
Not sure yet?
Our prerequisite courses are also available as stand-alone professional development. Click here to learn more or to register for these individual courses. And don’t worry—if you take one now and later decide to enroll in the Secondary I-II Credential Program, the cost of these courses will be credited toward your total CMStep tuition.
It was paced well, it was organized beautifully, it spiraled and we kept getting deeper and deeper in our understanding of what Montessori looked like at the secondary level. I thought the variety in the guides was phenomenal too - backgrounds, experiences, subject areas, expertise - we had so many opportunities to learn from people 'in the field'.
~ Amy Norton, Low-Residency Cohort 2
