Xavier University announces transition of Montessori Lab School to innovative laboratory model

By Rae Onwumelu

Trees surrounding the back of Gallagher Student Center not far from Xavier lab school.

Xavier University is excited to announce a significant transition for its Montessori Lab School. Beginning in Fall 2025, the lab school will transition into a true laboratory model in ever closer alignment with Xavier’s Jesuit Catholic mission. 

This change comes after extensive feedback from stakeholders, including parents, teachers and school leadership, and aims to address key needs while enhancing the school’s integration with the University.

Addressing Key Needs

Through multiple focus groups, surveys and meetings, three main needs were identified:

  1. Integration with the University: Stakeholders expressed a desire for the lab school to be more integrated into Xavier’s academic programs. The transition to a true laboratory model will foster better engagement with the University’s School of Education by incorporating a range of pedagogical approaches.
  2. Financial Sustainability: To continue to be able to deliver high-quality education and ensure sustainability, updated tuition rates will be implemented in Fall 2025. Additionally, the school is applying to participate in the Ohio EdChoice scholarship program, which will improve access for students and offset tuition increases for some families.
  3. Educational Enhancement: With many local Montessori options available, the school will provide a unique option as Cincinnati’s laboratory for P6 educational innovation across a variety of pedagogical approaches. To further enhance the education experience for families, the lab school will increase the presence of Xavier faculty and students, offer more instructional time and provide additional opportunities in language learning, global engagement, STEM education, programs in art, physical education and music.

Transition to a Laboratory Model

The new laboratory model will be based on the five tenets defined by the International Association of Laboratory Schools: Pre-Service Educator Training, Dissemination of Practice, Research and Professional Inquiry, Professional Learning and Innovative Education. This model will open the lab school to diverse pedagogical methods, enhancing its integration with Xavier’s educational programs.

Inspired by Xavier’s Jesuit Catholic principle of Magis, we must pursue the greatest good within the local context. The new chapter for the lab school will build on its profound educational legacy and ensure Xavier is offering rich educational opportunities to our littlest Musketeers and our 300-plus college and graduate students in the School of Education.  

Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-longest-running Catholic university in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranks Xavier as one of the best universities in the country, while The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 390 Colleges in America."

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