Substantial methodological f laws in the existing literature suggest that more
controlled empirical research is necessary. Studies such as those previously described
highlight a range of problems, such as a lack of comparison groups, statistical controls, and empirical testing for group comparisons. In a review of the literature, Seldin (2002/03) claimed that much of the existing research has been inconclusive or contained severe methodological flaws, and is limited in terms of age range. Additionally, little research has been conducted with elemen tary and latency age children . To overcome these weaknesses, the current study empirically tested whether students in a Montessori school outperformed non-Montessori students using standardized measures of math and language arts. Specifically, 4th- and 8th-grade students who attended a Montessori school were compared to matchedsamples of students in structured magnet, open magnet, and traditional non-magnet schools in a large urban district.