EDUCATION
Emerging Themes in Islamic School Mission Statements How well are Islamic schools doing their jobs? BY SUFIA AZMAT
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never reviewed it; five had reviewed it during the accreditation or re-accreditation process. Only three principals stated that their mission statements were reviewed regularly. When asked about stakeholder involvement in establishing, developing and reviewing the mission statement, three schools involved more than three such groups and four involved three or fewer such groups. Seven principals indicated that only the board members determined the mission statement. None of the interviewed principals’ schools maintained a written policy or procedure for developing and reviewing their mission statements. Almost all schools had posted their mission statements on their websites and stated them in their handbooks. A majority also posted it in the classrooms; three principals claimed that it was read at every staff meeting.
he broad themes emerging from a study conducted by this author are similar to those identified by early Muslim scholars. This survey suggests that the school administrators agreed on the primary purpose of their schools and that the commonalities in themes illustrate our diverse communities’ agreement on what they hope for from an Islamic school education. In general, a major goal of private school education is to provide educational tools and an environment in which students can achieve academic excellence and become productive members of society. But for most Islamic schools, religious development and identity seem to be more important goals. Data was collected from 52 Islamic schools, and interviews were conducted MISSION STATEMENT ANALYSIS with 14 of their principals. Two methods were used to gather data. The first method The coding system used to analyze and review the reviewed mission statements randomly selected from their websites. These schools mission statements’ content counted and categorized ranged from one to 38 years old; the average age was twenty. Enrollment was their repeated words into broader themes. Among the between 19 and 821 students. The total combined enrollment was 11,418 students; key phrases were variations of the following: “provide the average enrollment was 220 students. Seven schools were Pre-K-5, 16 were academic excellence,” “develop Islamic morals,” “nurPre-K-8 and 29 were Pre-K-12. The schools, located across the U.S., on average ture future leaders,” “serve community and humanity had been operating for 19 years. The second method involved emailing 26 of the (social responsibility),” “be lifelong learners,” “be of 52 school principals, selected at random, good moral character,” “gain a religious eduand requesting a 30-minute phone interview. cation,” “provide a safe and nurturing enviWHEN ASKED ABOUT The objective, verifiable data gathered ronment” and “perform public service.” Data from the school's uploaded mission state- STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT reveal that a majority of the schools have IN ESTABLISHING, ments included the number of words in each three or four themes in their mission statestatement and the frequency with which DEVELOPING AND REVIEWING ments. The five broad themes articulated certain words occurred. Other objective across school mission statements, based THE MISSION STATEMENT, data gathered from conversations with the on this analysis, are academic excellence, THREE SCHOOLS INVOLVED responding principals were the mission spiritual development, civic responsibility, leadership and environment. statement’s age, when it was last reviewed, MORE THAN THREE SUCH Words related to spiritual development whether there was a written policy for devel- GROUPS AND FOUR INVOLVED oping and reviewing it, where it was posted appear with greater frequency in Islamic THREE OR FEWER SUCH and the how long the respondent had been schools’ mission statements. The goals of GROUPS. SEVEN PRINCIPALS contemporary Islamic schools reflect the serving as that school’s principal. The average time of the 14 principals’ same importance given to academic excelINDICATED THAT ONLY lence and moral character as was identified service at their current school was five years; THE BOARD MEMBERS six of them were in their first or second year. by classical Muslim philosophers. These DETERMINED THE One of them had a Bachelor’s degree in edumission statements provide for a full eduMISSION STATEMENT. cation, eight had acquired either a Master’s cational program that includes academic degree or certification in school leadership excellence as a key component. Analysis and three had obtained PhDs in educational also indicates that the founders of Islamic leadership. Their schools’ average enrollment was 298 students. On average, schools and their students’ parents desire to pass on they had been operating for 19 years. Seven of them offered high school classes. their faith to the next generation. The general consensus is that mission statements should be clear and concise, But are Islamic schools holding themselves three to four sentences long and contain 20 to 30 words. The average length for accountable to meeting these laudable goals? Are this study’s 52 schools was 41 words. The average word count for the interviewed these communities’ hopes and dreams, as reflected principals’ schools was 48 words. in the school’s mission statements, being carried out Eight of the 14 principals could not recall their school’s mission statement. in the schools? These are the questions we must all be Two of them said it was too long, four were able to identify some of its compo- concerned with as we pray for and envision a bright nents and six of them could recite it verbatim. The mission statement’s age, when future for our children. ih compared to that of the school, revealed that all of them had been developed Sufia Azmat (M.Ed., Bayan Islamic Graduate School), is executive director of the when the school was established or shortly thereafter. Half of these schools had Council of Islamic Schools in North America. 36
ISLAMIC HORIZONS MARCH/APRIL 2022
