Find the latest updates on ISLA’s Database Project here:
Teacher Retention Trends in U.S. Islamic Schools:
(May 2024)
This report focuses on teacher retention rate, a critical aspect of school stability and quality. Understanding these trends is vital as it helps Islamic school leaders make informed decisions aimed at enhancing teacher satisfaction and educational continuity.
High teacher retention rates in U.S. Islamic schools indicate stable, supportive environments that enhance educational quality. Schools with lower retention face challenges that could impact student achievement and staff morale, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to improve retention and uphold educational standards.
Teacher Retention Rate Between Past Academic Years:
The data shows that 75% of surveyed full-time Islamic schools succeeded in retaining more than 75% of their teachers between Fall 2021 to Fall 2022, while 15% of these schools reported moderate retention challenges, with rates ranging from 51-75%, signaling potential areas for improvement. In contrast, 5% of schools had substantial difficulty retaining their teachers, retaining less than a quarter of their staff (1-25%), and another 5% retained up to half of their staff (26-50%).
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Qualification of Quran, Arabic, and Islamic Studies teachers:
(May 2024)
Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies teachers (QAIS) with State Certification:
Our data shows that about 70% of surveyed full-time Islamic schools have no Quran, Arabic and Islamic studies teachers (QAIS) with state certification. Only 2% of surveyed schools have a high percentage (more than 75%) of their QAIS teachers certified by the state. Furthermore, one-quarter of the schools have a small percentage ( less than 25%) of their QAIS teachers with state certification.
Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies teachers with Bachelor’s Degree in Education:
About a quarter of surveyed schools indicate that more than 75% of their QAIS teachers hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Another quarter of the schools report a small percentage (less than 25%) of their QAIS teachers with Bachelor’s Degrees in Education, while an additional quarter have no QAIS teachers with Bachelor’s Degrees in Education.
Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies teachers with a Master’s Degree or Higher:
The data reveals that 41% of surveyed Islamic schools have a small percentage (less than 25%) of their QAIS teachers with Master’s Degree or higher. In sharp contrast, 4% of schools have the majority ( more than 75%) of QAIS teachers with Master’s Degrees or higher. In 35% of the schools, no QAIS teachers hold Master’s Degrees or higher.
Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies teachers with Additional Credentials:
Our survey examined the additional qualifications held by Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies teachers, which may include Quran Ijaza, Qaida Noorania, participation in online classes, Islamic Studies degrees, and Alim programs.
About a quarter of surveyed Islamic schools report that a small percentage (less than 25%) of their QAIS teachers hold these qualifications. Conversely, a quarter of these schools have a high percentage (more than 75%) of their QAIS teachers hold these qualifications. Additionally, 17% of schools indicate that none of their QAIS teachers hold such qualifications.
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Qualification at High School Level:
(May 2024)
High School Teachers with State Certification:
The survey shows that 22% of surveyed U.S full-time Islamic schools have a small percentage (less than 25%) of state-certified high school teachers. Nearly half (46%) of these schools report no state-certified high school teachers. Only 10% of these schools have a significant number of state-certified high school teachers (more than 75%).
High School Teachers with Bachelor’s Degree in Education::
The survey shows that 42% of surveyed U.S. full-time Islamic schools lack high school teachers with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. In contrast, about one-fifth of these schools report that high percentage (more than 75%) of their high school teachers have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.
High School Teachers with a Master’s Degree or Higher:
The survey shows that 39% of surveyed U.S. full-time Islamic schools lack high school teachers with a Master’s Degree or higher. In contrast, 19% reported that up to a quarter of their high school teachers have a Master’s Degree or higher. Only 8% have a high percentage (more than 75%) of their high school teachers holding Master’s Degrees or higher.
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Qualification at Middle School Level:
(April 2024)
Middle School Teachers with State Certification:
More than one-third of U.S. full-time Islamic schools surveyed have fewer than 25% state-certified teachers, while only 13% have a high percentage, with over 75% of their middle school teachers state-certified. In contrast, one-quarter of the schools have no state-certified teachers.
Middle School Teachers with Bachelor’s Degree in Education::
The survey reveals that around 15% of Islamic schools have fewer than 25% of middle school teachers with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. In contrast, more than one-third of these schools have a high proportion of teachers (over 76%) who hold this qualification. In one-fifth of the schools, no middle school teachers hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.
Middle School Teachers with a Master’s Degree or Higher:
Over one-third of Islamic schools have less than 25% of their middle school teachers with a Master’s Degree or higher. Around 10% of the schools have the majority of their teachers with Master’s degrees or higher. In one-fifth of the schools, no middle school teachers hold a Master’s Degree or higher.
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Qualification at Elementary Level:
(April 2024)
Gathering data from over 100 full-time Islamic schools in the U.S., representing roughly one-third of the total, this brief focuses on elementary teachers’ qualifications. Our objective is to support informed decision-making within the Islamic school sector by providing a clear view of the current qualifications and educational backgrounds of elementary teachers.
Elementary Teachers with State Certification:
Approximately half of surveyed full-time Islamic schools have few (1-25%) of their teachers with state certification, while 14% of schools have the majority (76-100%) of their teachers state-certified. In 13% of schools, no teachers are state-certified.
Elementary Teachers with Bachelor’s Degree in Education:
In more than one-third of schools, the majority (76-100%) of teachers hold Bachelor’s degrees in Education, compared to 20% of schools where few (1-25%) of their teachers hold this degree.
Elementary Teachers with Master’s Degree or Higher:
Nearly half of the schools have few (1-25%) of their teachers hold a Master’s degree or higher. About one-third of the schools have up to half (26-50%) of their teachers with a Master’s Degree or higher. In 10% of schools, no teachers hold this degree.
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Salary Structures Across Teaching Levels:
(March 2024)
In Islamic schools, the salary structure varies based on grade level. Elementary teachers typically earn between $26,000 to $35,000, while middle school teachers usually receive $31,000 to $40,000. High school teachers generally have salaries ranging from $36,000 to $45,000, with about one-third earning more than $45,000. Teachers specializing in Islamic Studies, Quran, and Arabic earn $31,000 to $40,000, with around one-third earning less than $30,000.
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Leveraging Data for Informed Decision-Making:
(July 2023)
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Status Report From July:
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Emerging Data Report- May 2023
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