Chicago · Licensed center

Montessori Foundations Of Chicago Inc

Medium Montessori center, licensed for 103 children.

What these mean, and where they come from

Medium means the middle half of Chicago-area’s 1,949 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 49 to 118 children. Small is 8 to 48; large is 119 to 487.

How they teach

Montessori

“our approach to education and care is aligned with the Montessori Philosophy of education and life”In their words, August 2026.montessorifoundations.com

One of 15 Chicago-area providers that describe a Montessori approach, out of 129 that describe any approach at all.

Who cares for your child

One adult for every four infants

Shortlist has not yet sourced this state’s legal ratio limit, so there is nothing to set this beside yet.

One adult for every five toddlers. Shortlist has not yet sourced this state’s legal ratio limit, so there is nothing to set this beside yet.

One adult for every ten preschoolers. Shortlist has not yet sourced this state’s legal ratio limit, so there is nothing to set this beside yet.

One adult for every fourteen school-age children. Shortlist has not yet sourced this state’s legal ratio limit, so there is nothing to set this beside yet.

Three staff are named on their site, with no start years given.

What it costs

$1,798 a month for an infant

Infant$1,798

median $2,703

Lower than 14 of 18 Chicago-area providers that publish a full-time infant price.

Toddler$1,538

median $2,368

Lower than 15 of 22 Chicago-area providers that publish a full-time toddler price.

Preschool$1,135

median $2,055

Lower than 15 of 19 Chicago-area providers that publish a full-time preschool price.

Montessori Foundations Of Chicago IncMost Chicago-area prices (middle 80%)

Scale $1,000 to $4,000 a month. Chicago-area prices as of September 29, 2026. Application fee $100. Deposit $2,000, not refundable. Sibling discount: 5% discount on tuition for each additional child enrolled, applied to the lower tuition rate. Prices from their website, August 2026.

What the state has found

Routine visits: 17 of 18 cited something

Chicago-area centers: the state cites something at about 5 in 6 routine visits.

From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked September 25, 2026.

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: October 16, 2025
On file: 18 visits since April 2010 — 1 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was November 14, 2025. Illinois DCFS does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious: Illinois DCFS does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Illinois DCFS cites each subsection of a rule separately, so one audit of a filing cabinet can produce ten citations. It publishes the rule’s title and a correction deadline, but no description of what was observed.

Oct 2025 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · October 16, 2025

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(7) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2024 Monitoring visit 22 findings

Monitoring visit · October 10, 2024

General Requirements for Personnel

6 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c) through (e) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c) · 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(d) · 407.100(e)

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

6 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(c) through (r)(3) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(c) · 407.370(d)(4) · 407.370(e)(5) · 407.370(e)(11) · 407.370(q)(2) · 407.370(r)(3)

Personnel Records

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Organization and Administration

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(c) · Violation corrected

Qualifications for Child Care Director

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(m) · Violation corrected

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(g) · Violation corrected

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) · Violation corrected

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation corrected

Hand Washing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(c) · Violation corrected

Outdoor Play Area

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(p) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2023 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · October 16, 2023

Provisions Pertaining to the License

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.60(f) through (g) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.60(f) · 407.60(g)

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2022 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · October 6, 2022

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2020 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · October 21, 2020

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Nov 2019 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · November 4, 2019

Cited: FHSEC305

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2018 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · September 28, 2018

Cited: CCASEC4

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2018 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · July 9, 2018

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2) · Violation corrected

Cited: CCASEC4

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2017 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · February 28, 2017

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(b) · Violation corrected on site

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2015 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · September 29, 2015

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2014 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · September 12, 2014

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(4)

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(d) · Violation corrected

Qualifications for Child Care Director

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(j) · Violation corrected

Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(c) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2013 Monitoring visit 7 findings

Monitoring visit · October 16, 2013

Nutrition and Meal Service

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(f) through (j)(5) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(f) · 407.330(j)(3) · 407.330(j)(5)

Volunteers

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.180(b) through (c) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.180(b) · 407.180(c)

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2012 Monitoring visit 20 findings

Monitoring visit · August 17, 2012

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1) · 407.250(i)(1)(g) · 407.250(i)(1)(h) · 407.250(i)(2) · 407.250(i)(4)

Personnel Records

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (4) · Rule cited again

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Transportation

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.280(g) through (t)(2) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.280(g) · 407.280(p) · 407.280(t)(1) · 407.280(t)(2)

Equipment and Materials

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b) through (j)(5) · Rule cited again

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b) · 407.380(j)(4) · 407.380(j)(5)

Organization and Administration

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e) through (k) · Rule cited again

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e) · 407.70(k)

Special Requirements for School-Age Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.220(c) · Violation corrected

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2011 Monitoring visit 10 findings

Monitoring visit · October 19, 2011

Organization and Administration

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e) through (k) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e) · 407.70(k)

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(4)

Nutrition and Meal Service

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(d) through (l)(2) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(d) · 407.330(l)(2)

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation corrected

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(l) · Violation corrected

Medications

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1) · Violation corrected

Equipment and Materials

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(i) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2011 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Nov 2010 Monitoring visit 20 findings

Monitoring visit · November 3, 2010

Personnel Records

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) through (6) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4) · 407.120(a)(6)

Hand Washing

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(a)(2) through (b)(10) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(a)(2) · 407.320(a)(5) · 407.320(b)(10)

Medications

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1) through (f) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1) · 407.360(c)(2) · 407.360(f)

Staffing Structure

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2) through (d) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2) · 407.90(d)

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) through (2) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · 407.100(c)(2)

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5) through (g) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5) · 407.340(g)

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(15) · Violation corrected

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g) · Violation corrected

Equipment and Materials

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(g) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Apr 2010 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · April 23, 2010

Guidance and Discipline

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(c)(6) through (e) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(c)(6) · 407.270(c)(6)(e)

Confidentiality of Records and Information

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.80(c) · Violation corrected on site

Qualifications for Child Care Director

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(j) · Violation corrected

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(c) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Apr 2010 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · April 22, 2010

Guidance and Discipline

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270 through (c) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270 · 407.270(c)

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(k) · Violation corrected

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(p)(1) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 489114 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

How the comparison is built

Routine visits: across Chicago-area centers, the state cites something at about 5 in 6 routine visits (19,088 visits).

A day here

Meals: Full breakfast, a full hot lunch (catered by Food2You), and a mid-afternoon snack provided
Outdoors: Children taken outside on the playground every day, weather permitting
Sleep: Scheduled rest period daily; sleep not required but quiet lying/reading required until rest time ends; each child has an assigned cot
Updates for parents: Important alerts sent via email; each classroom chooses its own communication system with parents
Hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, 5 days a week, year round
Schedule: full-day, full-week; no part-time program offered
Closed: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve through New Year's Day (usually 8 days), plus one Teacher Development Day each in fall and spring

Policies

When a child is sick: Child must be fever-free, and free of vomiting/diarrhea, for 24 hours without medication before returning
Biting: Calm removal without reinforcing the behavior, comfort the bitten child, observe for triggers, teach alternative expression, partner with families; additional staff supervision if needed
Enrollment: One month written notice required for withdrawal or termination (except for violent behavior); care may be terminated for chronic absenteeism, lack of parental cooperation, failure to adjust, or incomplete forms

Details

7732545437

Website: montessorifoundations.com
Address: 2239 W 35th St
License: license issued (il)

Do you run Montessori Foundations Of Chicago Inc? Everything a program can tell parents is already on this page. Correcting it is free.

Correct anything that is wrong

Sources and dates

Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.

How they teach

Approach — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com

Who cares for your child

Children per adult — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com

Who cares for your child

Staff montessorifoundations.com

What it costs

Infant, Toddler, Preschool — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com
Application fee, Deposit, Sibling discount — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com

State record

Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.

A day here

Meals, Outdoors, Sleep, Updates for parents, Closed — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com
Hours, Calendar, Schedule — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com

Policies

When a child is sick, Biting, Enrollment — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com

Details

Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "MONTESSORI FOUNDATIONS OF CHICAGO INC" under Provider Name and 60609 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 489114).
Website — Checked August 2026 montessorifoundations.com