Guidepost Montessori, operating 90+ preschools across the United States, Asia, and Australia, has selected illumine — the world’s first AI-powered childcare management software — to transform our Montessori school operations through unified parent communication, enrollment, billing, and compliance tools across our global network of campuses.
With a presence spanning more than 20 states, Guidepost Montessori is committed to building a modern digital infrastructure that upholds the operational excellence and unwavering quality families expect from the Montessori experience.
As a network rooted in intentional, child-centered education, we sought a technology partner that could match that standard.
illumine, an AI-powered vertical SaaS platform designed specifically for early childhood education, emerged as the clear choice. The platform now supports family communication, tuition collection, compliance, attendance management, and operational workflows across our schools — ensuring every campus delivers the consistent, high-quality experience that defines the Guidepost Montessori name.
Bringing AI to Modern Montessori School Operations
While artificial intelligence is transforming many industries, early childhood education has historically lagged behind in adopting advanced technology. illumine’s platform integrates AI directly into everyday school operations, applying intelligent automation to simplify tasks that traditionally require hours of manual work.
One of the most meaningful areas of impact is family communication.
Our schools serve diverse communities where families speak different languages or have varying levels of digital familiarity. illumine helps bridge this gap by enabling multilingual communication and simplifying how updates, announcements, and classroom moments are shared with families — ensuring every parent, regardless of language, stays closely connected to their child’s learning journey.
For a network of our scale, AI also unlocks powerful operational insights.
Our leadership teams now have a live view into enrollment trends, attendance patterns, communication activity, and billing performance across campuses which enables faster decision-making and more consistent operations network-wide.
Why We Chose illumine
Matthew Sears, Senior Vice President of Technology at Guidepost Montessori, shared:
When we decided to move to illumine for our U.S. network, the objective was to eliminate fragmented systems and create a unified experience for both our internal teams and the families we serve. Previously, many processes relied on manual work across disconnected tools — from updating data between systems to calculating seat availability through spreadsheets and custom solutions. It worked, but only because people were holding it together. As we sought a more efficient operating model, that approach became unsustainable. We needed real-time visibility into what was happening across every campus, dramatically less administrative burden on our teams, and a system that could handle the complexity of operating dozens of schools across more than twenty states.
illumine addressed all three. It brings together enrollment, communication, billing, and operational workflows into one platform while providing visibility at every level of the organization — from school leaders checking form completion to regional managers monitoring billing across campuses and executives reviewing enrollment trends network-wide. Just as importantly, it gives families direct access to their information and connects them with the staff supporting their child.
Rolling out a new system across more than 90 locations in the middle of the academic year is no small challenge, but the illumine team has been an exceptional partner in helping us navigate that transition.”
Building the Future of Early Education
This partnership reflects our broader commitment to building a scalable digital infrastructure that supports both operational excellence and strong school–family relationships.
As childcare networks expand across regions and markets, purpose-built technology platforms are becoming essential — and we’re proud to be leading that evolution within the Montessori space.
About Guidepost Montessori
Guidepost Montessori operates 90+ schools across the United States, delivering authentic Montessori education grounded in a deep commitment to children and families. For more information, visit guidepostmontessori.com.
Media Contact:
Karolina Potterton
kpotterton@guideposteducation.com
