The crisis in America's traditional public school system dates back to the early 1900s. In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education warned that our nation is at risk. The document stated, "The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and as a people" (Nash, 1990, p. 3). Many students are graduating from high school with a fourth grade reading level. Others are dropping out before attaining a high school diploma. As a result, state and federal policies have made many attempts to rectify the problem. Strategies from the whole language approach to phonemic awareness have been implemented. Currently, the use of high-stakes testing has become the measure for ensuring the success of American students in the public school system. What is being done in public schools today is clearly not working. Therefore, an alternative approach needed to be considered.

This qualitative study sought to discover teachers' perceptions of the transferability of the Montessori Program into public schools in Florida. The phenomenological philosophical framework and tradition guided the study. Phenomenology describes the study of lived experiences or the deep philosophical issues that pertain to the world (Creswell, 2003). The lived experiences of certified teachers who have previously worked in a traditional school setting and are currently teaching in a public Montessori were collected and analyzed. Data was collected via interviews utilizing a structured interview protocol. Participants could only hold the title of a teacher (i.e., participants may not hold any special interest titles or be administrators) in order to prevent the advancement of special interest groups.

The Montessori program was revealed to be a viable alternative approach to education. Findings revealed that teachers did indeed perceive the state of public education to be in dire need of transformation. Participants offered the advantages of change as being: more individualized instruction; the program being a positive impact on society; and, students receiving an advanced academic curriculum. These advantages could close the existing achievement gap. Finally, participants offered the criteria for change (e.g., buy-in, training, money, and transformational leadership). Findings could assist policymakers, administrators, and other stakeholders involved in the public school system in their efforts to promote success and reduce the failure rate in public school students and public schools in general.