SEMC responds to Bezos' Day One Fund Announcement


On September 13, Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos followed through on a request for philanthropic proposals from last year, in announcing their contribution of $2 billion to fund and support two initiatives- helping homeless families and organizing non-profit preschools for low-income communities through the Bezos Day One Fund.

The Day 1 Academies Fund will fund an organization to “directly operate” quality “Montessori-inspired,” early childhood education programs. Bezos said in his statement, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” His stated goal for this investment is to support innovation that improves communities.

This announcement comes on the same day that a recent poll in the US indicates majority support for quality early childhood education that is affordable for all families. 78% of parents with children under age 12 rated a lack of quality affordable childcare as a “very serious” problem.

The response to the Bezos announcement has generally been positive. However, there have been some reservations expressed. Although to date, there have been few details about the implementation of the managing organization and how this project might be brought to scale, concern has been expressed by some in the Montessori community by the term “Montessori-inspired.” While we know that this designation can indicate those schools which do not fully implement the key characteristics of fidelity Montessori, we do not yet know what Bezos might be indicating with this term. With the work of A. Lillard, the Brady Foundation's Montessori Initiative, and others, we have, and are growing, a body of research that demonstrates the value and benefits of fully implementing these key characteristics. If the Bezos Family Foundation, funded by Jeff’s parents, is any indication, experts in the field of early childhood education and Montessori education will be included as the Day 1 initiative takes form.

Concern has also been expressed regarding the “organization to directly operate” these proposed programs. There are a number of groups and organizations in the US with the shared mission of providing Montessori in under-served communities. It is understandable that they would like to be recognized for their efforts and successes. And it may well be that the Day 1 Academies Fund will, in some way, partner with them to “learn, invent, and improve.”

Those of us who have been involved directly, or indirectly, in advocacy in support of quality Montessori programming have learned how important it is that we as a community both respect our diversity but share, communicate and educate the non-Montessori community with a common “One Voice” message. With the all too common misunderstanding of this comprehensive “system of education” (Dr. Montessori), now is absolutely the time that our message must come from our collaborative unity.

Several national Montessori organizations have shared statements over the past week and a half, but a post from the Montessori Foundation beautifully summed it up with “the Montessori community is at the crossroads of efforts to change the direction of education policy and teaching across the US and abroad...We need to see what they [The 1 Day Academies Fund] have in mind and speak with one voice.”

As of this writing, Trust for Learning shared that they have reached out to Bezos, with input from the Montessori Leadership Collaborative, in support of “this exciting new project.”

Let’s come together in celebration of this moment in our community and practice what we do so well- observe, listen, learn and guide, when the time is right.

Christine Lowry, M.Ed.
Montessori-Now
Southeast Montessori Collective