One of the biggest problems facing Islamic schools in the US is high turnover rate amongst administrators. While many Islamic school admin have credentials in educational leadership or a higher degree in related fields, specific challenges relating to Islamic schools are not covered in their coursework. The on-the-job demands of their work are met with little resources for support.

The ISLA Leadership Academy was developed to respond to this problem. The two-year mentorship program for administrators is designed to provide support, resources, and guidance for currently-employed administrators of full-time Islamic schools.

Educational leaders who join this program are paired with a qualified mentor. They partake in mentorship for two years while they maintain their roles within their respective Islamic Schools. A needs-assessment, relevant readings, monthly meetings with the mentor, bi-annual site visits, and regular reflective journals are all aspects of the ISLA Leadership Academy.

By the end of the Leadership Academy, mentees should have increased their understanding of key elements of educational leadership particular to Islamic schools, will have had opportunities to network with other Islamic school leaders, and will have developed strategies to address the specific challenges they face in their schools.