February 1, 2026
Dear Parents and Community Members:
We are pleased to present you with the Annual Education Report (AER), which provides key information on the 2024-25 educational progress for North Park Montessori. The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and state laws. The school’s report contains information about student assessment, accountability, and teacher quality. If you have any questions about the AER, please contact MorseD@grps.org or call our school’s main office at (616) 819-2848 for assistance.
The AER is available for you to review electronically by clicking this link, or you may review a copy in the main office at your child’s school.
For the 2025-26 school year, schools were identified based on previous years’ performance using definitions and labels as required in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). A Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school is one that had at least one underperforming student group in 2024-25. An Additional Targeted Support (ATS) school is one that had at least one student group performing at the same level as the lowest 5% of all schools in the state in 2021-22. A Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) school is one whose performance was in the lowest 5% of all schools in the state, had a graduation rate at or below 67%, failed to exit CSI status in 2024-25, or failed to exit ATS status in 2021-22. Some schools are not identified with any of these labels. In these cases, no status label is given.
Our school has not been given one of these labels.
Click here to view the School Index Overview for our school. This site provides additional information about key performance indicators.
We continue to implement the district’s Academic Plan that focuses on creating a learning culture to advance students’ thinking and providing a rigorous and standards-based curriculum to help students achieve College- and Career-Readiness by the time they graduate.
State law requires that we also report additional information.
About Our School
GRPS has a 40-year history of public Montessori education, one of the longest-running public programs in the US. North Park is one of three GRPS sites that offers a Montessori experience for students. North Park Montessori is a theme school within Grand Rapids Public Schools. The environment contains materials that invite children to engage in learning of their own choosing within guidelines provided by specially trained teachers. The Montessori method uses hands-on lessons and experiences to help students learn by doing.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to prepare each child for the next step in their educational journey—from pre-school to middle school. As an educational community, we share the view that to succeed, we are all responsible for creating an environment that is optimal for learning. Our staff creates the classroom environments that stimulate and encourage learning. Children are expected to be respectful, responsible and arrive at school ready to learn. Parents have a vital and varied role in helping to create the optimal education experience within our school. At North Park, we share the responsibility for creating successful students.
Process for Assigning Pupils to Our School
Our school is a theme school requiring application. Click here to view the GRPS Attendance Area Finder. It shows the neighborhood elementary school, middle school, and high school for your address. Additional options, including K-8 schools, theme schools, and Centers of Innovation are available. Please contact Student Services at (616) 819-2150 to learn more about your school choices.
Local Assessment Results
NWEA’s Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is the district’s local assessment. The table below reflects the proportion of students who scored at or above the 50th National Percentile in Reading and Math during Spring 2024 and Spring 2025.
NWEA Measure of Academic Progress
Students Scoring at or above the 50th National Percentile
Reading
| Grade Level | Spring 2024 | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 59% | 70% |
| Grade 1 | 64% | 63% |
| Grade 2 | 73% | 67% |
| Grade 3 | 68% | 76% |
| Grade 4 | 72% | 69% |
| Grade 5 | 76% | 70% |
| Grade 6 | 68% | 70% |
| Grade 7 | 68% | 76% |
| Grade 8 | 83% | 76% |
Math
| Grade Level | Spring 2024 | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 67% | 79% |
| Grade 1 | 52% | 63% |
| Grade 2 | 76% | 64% |
| Grade 3 | 51% | 64% |
| Grade 4 | 41% | 50% |
| Grade 5 | 43% | 45% |
| Grade 6 | 37% | 43% |
| Grade 7 | 36% | 48% |
| Grade 8 | 66% | 48% |
Core Curriculum
GRPS continues to...
- Align curricula to Michigan Grade Level Content Standards and College and Career Readiness Standards.
- Provide professional development that supports our Academic Plan.
- Assess student learning so teachers have accurate information about each student.
- Define individualized student targets, school-wide targets, and district achievement targets.
We are committed to ensuring our students reach their full academic potential. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or need additional information.
Thank you for your interest in our school!
Sincerely,
Daniel Morse
Principal, North Park Montessori