Assessing Success in U.S. Islamic Schools

Assessing Success in U.S. Islamic Schools Aligning mission statements with institutional practices

In the last decade, the number of full-time Islamic schools in the U.S. has grown significantly. And with this growth has come scrutiny not only from Muslim Americans, but also from the general public.

Some of the questions being asked are: How effective are these schools in providing a quality academic education? How effective are they in developing and preserving an Islamic identity? Will their graduates go on to be positive, contributing members of American society? How are Islamic schools held accountable?

Research shows that successful schools make mission-aligned decisions when developing the school’s programs, hiring principals and evaluating principal performance.

ISLAMIC SCHOOLS Islamic schools today, as did the educational institutions established 1,400 years ago, focus on faith formation along with academic excellence. They serve parents who enroll their children to protect them from this country’s ongoing anti-Muslim backlash, safeguard their faith and develop their Islamic identity while also striving for academic excellence.

Although Islamic schools have existed here since the late 1970s, data on these schools is very limited; even less information is available on the Clara Muhammad Schools (later Imam WD Mohammed changed the spelling to Clara Mohammed), which were established in 1931 within the Nation of Islam. One reason for the lack of available data is the absence of a central governing agency to which these schools need to report.

In 1989, an ISNA-organized- and- hosted educational symposium gathered Muslim educators, community members and representatives from Islamic institutions throughout North America. In November 1991, the first full-time Islamic schools’ general assembly meeting was held in Detroit. BY SUFIA AZMAT

Approximately 45 full-time Islamic schools were represented, a constitution was ratified and the Council of Islamic Schools in North America (CISNA; https://www.cisnausa. org/) was formed.

According to its mission statement, CISNA envisions a future of promoting “quality education at Islamic schools through advocacy, accreditation services, and professional development to ensure institutional effectiveness leading to student success.”

To meet its goal of serving as a unifying organization for Islamic schools, CISNA set out to acquire contact information for those existing in the U.S. — claimed to be somewhere between 300 and 400. According to the National Center for Education Statistics’ August 2017 report, there was an 800% growth in Islamic school enrollment from 4,482 students (1991) to 40,485 (2015). Research conducted by ISNA in 1989 numbered 50 full-time Islamic schools in the U.S. A study conducted by Karen Keyworth (1957-2017), co-founder of the Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA; https:// theisla.org/), revealed that the number had grown to 235.

Research conducted by this author and research assistant Hiba Khan in July 2019 recorded just over 300 schools. Of these, 107 are registered CISNA members; 40 have earned CISNA accreditation status. The school with the highest enrollment has 800+ students, and approximately 125 schools include high school grades.

Azmat and Khan’s research indicates that California and Texas have the greatest concentration of Islamic schools, followed by New York and Florida. No Islamic schools could be found in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. The school’s highest growth rate occurred during the 1990s (see Table 1), when 70 new Islamic schools were established. Student enrollment in the U.S. is currently estimated at 65,000, with more than half of these schools having fewer than 200 students. Table 1: Number of Schools by State

Table 2: Number of Schools Established by Year

Table 3: Number of Schools Served by Grade Levels

Parents may find a complete list of CISNA-accredited schools at www.cisnausa. org. Since most accrediting programs are secular in nature, such agencies and their accreditation standards and processes do not concern themselves with a school’s spiritual dimension. CISNA’s self-evaluation process, however, focuses on a school’s spiritual life,

provides assurances that it is committed to continuous improvement and holds itself accountable for following best practices and high standards.

THE POWER OF PURPOSE An organization is much more likely to achieve measurable success if its goals are purposeful and meaningful. Purpose plays a pivotal role especially in faith-based organizations, which are often born out of values that reflect a social or religious core. The religious dimension is essential for Islamic schools, for it is generally agreed that a Muslim’s purpose, or being successful in life, is to worship God and serve humanity. It therefore follows that Muslim parents strive to provide an education for their children that fulfills these goals.

The role of education, as determined by classical-era Muslim scholars, can be categorized as the individual’s physical, mental and moral growth. These scholars stated that educational institutions exist to prepare students to be contributing members of society, be lifelong learners, be of good moral character, gain a religious education and engage in public service. Many contemporary Muslim scholars state that Islamic education’s primary role is to construct and retain one’s religious identity. Treating mission statements as a data source reveals what contemporary Muslim communities want to achieve by providing their youth with an Islamic education. SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS The first Islamic schools spent their early years struggling to survive financially — religious schools do not receive federal and state funds — and to build reputations as providers of high-quality education.

To attain such recognition requires that they meet the mission and goals they set for themselves. In fact, the very first thing a school accreditation team evaluates is the presence of a practical and compelling mission statement outlining how a school plans to become effective.

An Islamic school’s life starts from the passion in its founders’ hearts. The systematic work begins in vital areas such as curriculum, staffing, community relations, finances and facilities. As a deficiency in governance ultimately leads to problems that affect the quality of education and the school’s ultimate longevity, one of the governing board’s responsibilities is to guard

CONSULTATION DOES NOT MEAN CONSENSUS OR MAJORITY RULE; RATHER, IT ALLOWS FOR MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES, EMPOWERS AND INCREASES SELF-WORTH IN OTHERS AND NURTURES LEADERSHIP THAT IS VITAL TO AN ORGANIZATION’S GROWTH. MAJOR DECISIONS ARE BEST MADE BY CONSIDERING THE PARTICIPANTS’ VIEWS, AND JUSTICE AND EQUALITY ARE BEST REALIZED UNDER SHURA GOVERNANCE.

the school’s mission and hire, support and evaluate the principal, who is responsible for implementing it. As such, an effective governing body is vital.

Another key element is implementing the mission through the leader’s decision-making process. These managers should adhere to Quran 42:38, “Those who…conduct their affairs by mutual consultations(shura)” — a critical but often misunderstood or inaccurately utilized aspect of the Islamic organizational system.

Consultation does not mean consensus or majority rule; rather, it allows for multiple perspectives, empowers and increases self-worth in others and nurtures leadership that is vital to an organization’s growth. Major decisions are best made by considering the participants’ views, and justice and equality are best realized under shura governance. Such governance also prevents abuses of power.

While not required for daily matters that require quick decisions, shura does ensure transparency, accountability, collective responsibility and unity of purpose. This is why CISNA accreditation visits identify the decision-making framework as an area for close scrutiny and often for improvement. A process that aligns all decisions with the mission and is based on shura’s principles is vital to helping Islamic schools adhere to their stated purpose(s).

MISSION STATEMENTS Mission statements, which provide the context for governance and decisionmaking, must focus on the stakeholders’ common purpose and reflect the school’s proclaimed distinctive educational, spiritual, moral and social purpose. This statement’s spiritual dimension manifests the community’s goals.

Ideally, a school’s strategic plan is based on its mission statement, which is designed to guide the school, inspire the community and anchor it during turbulent times. Formalized by the coming together of a community, it should remind parents of their hopes for the future of their youth and fulfill the basic human need of being part of something greater than themselves — to contribute to a larger purpose. In sum, it articulates the community’s desires and goals and provides a framework from which a strategic plan can be formulated in order to bring an organization’s vision to life.

The active involvement of individuals belonging to each stakeholder group — community, parents, staff, alumni and students — is key to the creation/review process. The mission statement’s strength lies not simply in its wording, but also in the process by which it was conceived. Once a school has agreed on its mission, the governing body must preserve it. To make sure that this happens, a process must be devised to guarantee the hiring of an effective principal, one who will ensure that the stated mission will be reflected throughout the school’s entire program.

Subjecting the mission statement to regular review ensures that all stakeholders understand, support and make sure that it remains relevant. Only then can the next steps be taken — how to carry out the mission, allocate resources, implement specific programs and make policy decisions. ih

Bridging the Gap Wali Mahmood uses his clothing brand, Deaf Apparel, to make a dominantly hearing world more understanding and inclusive of the deaf community

BY HABEEBA HUSAIN

When New Jersey native Wali Mahmood saw inquisitive eyes on him and his uncle at the local grocery store for what they considered a very ordinary outing, he realized for the first time that their relationship was anything but ordinary.

They discussed the typical shopping list full of fruits and breads to feed their household of seven, when Mahmood noticed passersby glance toward them.

“People were staring at us, as if we weren’t normal or we’re alien,” the 23-yearold says. I didn’t realize how great of a language or even how different it was until that very moment.”

The language in which Mahmood and his uncle communicated that drew in the eyes — not the ears — of their fellow shoppers was American Sign Language (ASL).

According to the Communication Service for the Deaf (www.csd.org), roughly one million Americans use ASL as their main form of communicating. Mahmood’s uncle and aunt are two such individuals. Thanks to their sharing the same home, Mahmood learned the language at an early age directly from them.

Mahmood is considered a CODA in the deaf community, a child of a deaf adult, though not deaf himself. As he grew older and helped his uncle with errands like grocery runs and bank visits, he noticed that what was routine communication for him was foreign to most.

“It made me realize, ‘Hey, you have a really good skill set that not a lot of people have, and it’d be awesome to share,’” Mahmood says.

From this thought, Mahmood brainstormed ways to introduce the language with which he grew up to others in a seamless and interesting way — Deaf Apparel (www.deafapparel.com), an online e-commerce storefront that sells shirts, sweatshirts, hats and accessories featuring ASL designs.

Customers can personalize T-shirts with their names fingerspelled across the front, with each letter represented by its corresponding ASL sign. Buyers can also opt for readymade designs that communicate phrases like, “I love you” or “friend.” These styles display a single sign that symbolizes an entire word instead of a letter-by-letter design.

“If I’m walking down the street and I have sign language or fingerspelling on my clothing, I want people to pose the question, ‘Hey, what’s that on your shirt? Looks interesting, but I don’t know what it means,’” Mahmood says.

He intends for the clothing to be a conversation starter in more ways than one. On one hand, it piques the curiosity of those who have never been exposed to the deaf and hard of hearing communities and, essentially, introduces them to these people. On the other hand, it serves as a comforting recognition for those communities’ members to see that they’re not alone in their experience.

Being a part of the greater community but not deaf himself, Mahmood says he walks a fine line.

“I think the biggest lesson I learned getting more involved within the niche itself was understanding the boundaries as to how far I could pursue Deaf Apparel,” Mahmood explains. “You want to stay in your lane, but at the same time, you want to incorporate different communities.”

To do this, Mahmood says he had to outline his goals from the get-go: bridge the gap between deaf and hearing by incorporating ASL onto clothing. In addition, he says understanding the struggles of this community’s members is vital.

“I’m a hearing person, but I want other hearing people to understand what the deaf community goes through on a daily basis, what kind of struggles, what kind of challenges,” Mahmood states.

For example, during the pandemic, Mahmood

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MUHSEN (MUHSEN.ORG) AND GLOBAL DEAF MUSLIM (HTTPS://GLOBALDEAFMUSLIM. ORG/) WORK TIRELESSLY TO PROVIDE ASL INTERPRETERS, PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND MAKE ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT EASILY PURSUE ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE.

says the deaf and hard of hearing communities are struggling with facemasks. While most do not enjoy wearing a mask — it can be uncomfortable and inconvenient — they do so to protect themselves and others. But beyond this discomfort, most facemasks eliminate the deaf community’s ability to lip-read and observe facial expressions, which can really help them communicate with others.

“In a public setting, a lot of deaf people use lip reading or hand gestures to communicate … that gets thrown out the window with the face mask,” Mahmood explains. “You have to put yourself in their shoes — they’re struggling to communicate in this setting of Covid-19.”

Mahmood, who recognizes that he can only understand only so much of their struggle because he himself isn’t deaf, hopes his brand will bring more awareness to what the deaf community is currently going through.

In addition to apparel, Mahmood recently began publishing blog posts on his website, deafapparel.com, for people interested in learning more. There, readers can find interviews with other deaf community members in “Hearin’ Me,” a series of informative posts discussing everyday hurdles and tips on learning ASL.

On his Instagram page, @deaf.apparel, Mahmood uploads short snippets followers can use to learn basic sign language, with detailed instructions on how to sign the alphabet, numbers and everyday phrases like, “Thank you,” “You’re welcome” and “Nice to meet you.”

These efforts all work together to familiarize the hearing community with ASL and bridge that gap.

“If you’re working towards helping a person who is deaf, understanding the struggles goes a long way for them,” Mahmood remarks. “They get very happy when they see a hearing person try to communicate with a deaf person using sign language. They get very excited that there’s another person that actually knows their language. It feels welcoming when somebody understands what you’re going through and what you’re actually saying.”

That welcoming feeling is unfortunately absent from many Muslim spaces. Mosques and Islamic conferences can make deaf Muslims feel isolated in a place that should feel like home.

Nonprofit organizations like Muhsen (muhsen.org) and Global Deaf Muslim (https://globaldeafmuslim.org/) work tirelessly to provide ASL interpreters, promote inclusivity and make accessible resources for those who cannot easily pursue Islamic knowledge. These resources include subtitled video content, online sermons in sign language and a project to translate the Quran into ASL.

While there is still much to be done, Mahmood says the comments he received since beginning Deaf Apparel in 2018 keep him motivated.

“Positive community feedback really makes you want to work harder,” he notes. “Getting messages from people saying, ‘Oh, this is a really cool idea; I never even thought of sign language on T-shirts’ — that really motivated me to push harder and find opportunities and avenues to grow even more.”

From a thought that popped into his head in a grocery store checkout line to a successful e-commerce business, we’re excited to see the avenue Mahmood drives Deaf Apparel down next. ih

Habeeba Husain is a freelance journalist based in the New York tri-state area. She blogs for Why-Islam and helps manage Muslim-run businesses, WuduGear and Kamani. Her work has appeared in SLAM Magazine and Narrative.ly, among other online and print publications.