TCAPS Montessori School

www.TCAPS.net

307 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

TCAPS Montessori, located on South Oak Street in Traverse City, Michigan, is a public magnet school operating under the Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) district. The school serves students from preschool through sixth grade, offering an educational environment rooted in the philosophy of Maria Montessori. By emphasizing hands-on learning, self-directed activity, and collaborative play, the school aims to foster both academic mastery and the social-emotional development of its students within a multi-age classroom structure.

As part of the broader TCAPS system, the school provides families with a unique alternative to traditional classroom settings while maintaining public school accessibility. The curriculum focuses on cultivating independence, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning, with teachers acting as guides who tailor instruction to the individual pace and interests of each child. Through its focus on community, respect, and experiential education, TCAPS Montessori strives to create a supportive foundation for students as they transition through their formative elementary years.

307

Total Students

21.9

Full-Time Teachers

14.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

18.9%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for TCAPS Montessori School
Demographic	Student Count
White	275
Hispanic	8
Black	5
Asian	1
Two or More	16
American Indian	2

White
275 (89.6 %)
Two or More
16 (5.2 %)
Hispanic
8 (2.6 %)
Black
5 (1.6 %)
American Indian
2 (0.7 %)
Asian
1 (0.3 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Traverse City Area Public Schools
Phone:	(231)933-6420
Website:	http://www.TCAPS.net
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	307
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.9
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	56
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	2

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 56

Grade 1 42

Grade 2 40

Grade 3 36

Grade 4 43

Grade 5 29

Grade 6 27

Grade 7 20

Grade 8 14