Mission Bay Montessori Academy (Top Ranked 草榴社区 School for 2026-27)

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

Top Ranked CA School
Grades: Prekindergarten-6
Enrollment: 215 students
Yearly Tuition: $18,260
Acceptance rate: 75%
Average class size: 12 students
Application Deadline: None / Rolling
Source: 鉁�Verified school update

School Rankings

Mission Bay Montessori Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for:

School Facts

Religious Affiliation

Nonsectarian

Grades Offered

Grades Prekindergarten-6

Students By Grade

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade
Grade	Mission Bay Montessori Academy
Nursery	25
Pre-K	60
Kind	20
1	20
2	20
3	20
4	20
5	20
6	10

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ADD/ADHD Support

Yes

Year Founded

1968

Summer School Offered

Yes

School Calendar

Student Body

Total Students

215 students

Student Body Type

Co-ed

% Students of Color

48%

State avg.: 52%

Academic Profile

Total Classroom Teachers

30 teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

7:1

National avg.:

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

90%

Average Class Size

12 students

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Tuition & Financial Aid

Admission Deadline

None / Rolling

Yearly Tuition Cost

$18,260

View national tuition avg.

Tuition Notes

Annual payment and 2nd child discounts available

Acceptance Rate

75%

National avg.: 82%

Admissions Director

Tamara Goodwin

Admissions Associate

Catherine Jewell

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.

18 extracurriculars

ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.

Pre K ArtPre K Play Ball

Pre K Spanish

Club or Organization:

ChessChinese

CodingCooking

DramaJournalism

RoboticsSoccer

SpanishTennis

Yoga

Arts and Music Programs:

ArtBand

ChorusPiano

School Notes

Mission Bay Montessori Academy is located in the University City section of San Diego on 18 acres, in a secluded setting, bounded by canyon and park.
Our purpose is to aid the development of the child to the fullest possible realization of the child's unique individual potentialities.
The Montessori Method is based on a child's imperious need to learn by doing.
It develops the whole personality of the child, not merely their intellectual faculties, but also their powers of deliberation, initiative and independent choice with their emotional complements.
Here at MBMA, we instill a love of lifelong learning.

We are a Montessori school located in beautiful San Diego, CA with programs for children in preschool through 6th grade. Our 10-month school year runs from August through June, and we also offer a Summer Program. We have been in operation since 1968. Our goal is to help children reach their fullest potential using the Montessori Method is based on a child's need to learn by doing while developing the whole personality of the child. In addition to their intellectual faculties, we also help children build their powers of deliberation, initiative, and independent choice. Our elementary students experience facets of traditional education (testing, textbooks, and homework), which helps facilitate the transition to the next phase of their education. The academic accomplishments of our students are held in high regard by the private and middle schools in our area. We credit this reputation to our child-centered Montessori philosophy and curriculum.

90+ percentile on standardized testing
Gold Standard MBMA Band with Elementary Chorus
Highly academic program complemented with weekly enrichment classes: Visual Studio Art, Music, Accelerated Math, Physical Education, Science and Computers/Technology
Spanish and Chinese language classes included in weekly curriculum
Diverse Extracurricular Afterschool Program featuring tennis, chess, journalism, coding, robotics, visual art, dramatic arts, yoga, cooking, etc.

Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Mickey Moniak - McKenzie Matthew Moniak (born May 13, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Moniak was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies with the first overall pick of the 2016 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut with them in 2020.
- Bennet Kedrosky - MBMA is proud to announce that one of our own, MBMA alumni, Bennet Kedrosky, created a Twitter bot called Cal Fire Bot (@Calfirebot). This bot tweets California wildfire information in real-time. This is a useful tool created to alert people of fires and provide the opportunity to safely respond. 鈥淓ach Twit will show three things, the description of fire, region, and the link to Google map for the exact location,鈥� said Kedrosky. Another wonderful contribution to the community by MBMA alumni.
- Dana Mathewson - MBMA鈥檚 Dana Mathewson graduated as a sixth grader in 2002. Years later, Dana competed in the 2016 Paralympics, and 2018 US Open Wheelchair Competition, and ranked #1 in US Woman's Wheelchair Tennis. In the summer of 2022, Dana along with another athlete won the wheelchair doubles championship at Wimbledon. Dana ranked the first American woman in her sport to win a Grand Slam title.
- Michael Armstrong - Michael Armstrong is currently attending USC Thornton School of Music, after graduating from MBMA in 2007 and The Bishops School in 2013. Click the image to hear a sample from his debut album, "I Hope I'm Hearing Right".

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Mission Bay Montessori Academy cost?

Mission Bay Montessori Academy's tuition is approximately $18,260 for private students.

What schools are Mission Bay Montessori Academy often compared to?

Mission Bay Montessori Academy is often viewed alongside schools like Maria Montessori School by visitors of our site.

What is the acceptance rate of Mission Bay Montessori Academy?

The acceptance rate of Mission Bay Montessori Academy is 75%, which is lower than the national average of 80%.

Who are famous alumni from Mission Bay Montessori Academy?

Mission Bay Montessori Academy famous alumni include: Mickey Moniak, Bennet Kedrosky, Dana Mathewson and Michael Armstrong.

What is Mission Bay Montessori Academy's ranking?

Mission Bay Montessori Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for: Highest percentage of faculty with advanced degrees and Most extracurriculars offered.

When is the application deadline for Mission Bay Montessori Academy?

The application deadline for Mission Bay Montessori Academy is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).

In what neighborhood is Mission Bay Montessori Academy located?

Mission Bay Montessori Academy is located in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, CA. There are 4 other private schools located in University City.

School Reviews

5.00 out of 5 (3 reviews)

5 5/31/2024

Mission Bay Montessori has been a wonderful lifelong journey of my teaching career. I am also a mother of 2 children that are both alumni's of MBMA. They have both had a very well rounded quality education. MBMA not only offers a high quality academic program, they also offer extra-curricular classes such as music, art, computer, p.e, spanish and chinese. The environment is safe and the teachers are loving, professional and hardworking. My children both have fond memories of their elementary days at MBMA.

- Posted by Teacher - Parent

5 5/10/2024

Mission Bay Montessori Academy is a wonderful community that focuses on building a foundation for lifelong learning. The mix of traditional and rigorous academics alongside the Montessori material really allows teachers to meet students where they are at and cater to different styles of learning. As an educator, I highly recommend MBMA to families in the San Diego area!

- Posted by Teacher - Teacher

5 4/26/2024

This is my second year working at MBMA and I do want to say that this school has high quality academic programs, rigorous curriculum and the environment is safe and positive! Extracurricular activities such as Art, Music, Spanish, Chinese, PE, Science and Computers are available for students to learn and explore. The staff are wonderful! We work together as a family and share our love and support to our students.

- Posted by Teacher - Marisol

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in San Diego, CA is $16,567 for elementary schools and $28,627 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in San Diego, CA is 83% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).