She is a certified speech-language pathologist, educational administrator, and a Montessori teacher. She has been honored by the Brazilian Dyslexia Foundation, which she helped organize, and the Pennsylvania Montessori Teachers Association in recognition for her work in early childhood education. Then in 1995 the committee moved to an independent organization to comply with the legal requirements for an accrediting body. Membership in the organization is restricted to accredited groups. Currently there are 17 voting members of the Board and 4 officers.
Accreditation is a process that is based on the principles of self-study and peer review.
The guidelines clearly outline the components that must be met to be accredited. These include standards about a core curriculum of the teacher training, formal criteria for certification of trainees, adequate resources, a stable financial status, qualified staff, and others. Applicant organizations must complete a self-study process requiring documentation of their study. While conducting this visit, the team observes some training in process and confirms that the required elements are demonstrated. The initial accreditation is for 3 years.