Professional Development

Coursework completed at an accredited college or university counts toward your continuing professional development hours. One credit hour will be counted as 15 hours of continuing professional development.

Yes, we do offer scholarships. For more information, please visit this page.

Our webinars are free for all, but only members receive certificates.

Yes.

Our school membership offers teacher bundling rates. Learn more about school membership here.

AMS members have access to free and discounted professional development via our an online professional development platform called AMS Learning that features both an on-demand video library, as well as opportunities to participate in live programs. Explore our extensive live class calendar here, and the on-demand video library here.

There are also opportunities to earn professional development hours by attending in-person events such as The Montessori Event and Regional Symposia and Labposium, certificate programs, and more. We offer thought-provoking, Montessori-relevant professional development tailored to a comprehensive range of needs and interests. If you are looking to request a record of attendance for an event, or see if an event you attended qualifies towards the 50 hour professional development requirement for credential holders, please visit this page.

We will send you confirmation that we’ve received it. If you do not receive the confirmation, contact us.

We will send you a second email after we’ve reviewed your hours, either to notify you that they’ve been approved to request clarification or additional hours.

You must complete 50 hours of continuing professional development every 5 years for the credential to remain active. The first 5-year period begins on the date your credential was issued.

Once you have completed your 50 hours of professional development, we require that you log your hours on our Professional Development Submission Form, which is accessible when you log into your AMS portal. The link to the submission form is on the Professional Development Requirement page.

If you are an instructor or director of an AMS-affiliated teacher education program, you must complete 30 hours of continuing professional development every 3 years, and capture this information in your teacher education program’s Annual Report.

Learn more on our Professional Development Requirement page.

Your credential will become inactive—not expired.

You need to begin logging your professional development hours in the first 5-year period of receiving your credential. Educator credentials require 50 professional development hours, and administrator credentials require 30 professional development hours every 3 years. Learn more on our Professional Development Requirement page.

AMS Members can track their professional development hours on their professional development hours submission form, which is accessible when you log into your AMS portal. The link to the submission form is on the Professional Development Requirement page.

You can save your progress. Think of the system as a digital file cabinet. You may log your hours after they occur. Once you reach 50 hours, you can submit them for approval.

Yes, nearly all AMS member schools support professional development – check with your school to find out if they will pay for your AMS professional development.