Policies
Non-Discrimination and Admissions
This policy states what we consider when we admit a student, what we never consider, and how every admissions decision is made by a person and explained to the family.
Draft for attorney review; effective when enrollment opens.
Our statement
Southern Islamic Institute admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin to all the rights, programs, and activities generally made available to its students. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin in admissions, tuition assistance, teaching, discipline, or any other school program.
An Islamic school
SII is an Islamic school. Every student studies Islam, Qur'an, and Arabic, and the school day is built around salah. We ask families to support that education for their child. We welcome every family who wants it, whatever their background, and no prior Islamic education is required.
Within Sunni Islam, a family's madhhab or creedal school is never a reason to admit or refuse a child. Your child is never marked wrong for following a recognized position of the four Sunni schools.
Who may apply
- Families living in the United States, US families living abroad for a time, and military families with an APO or FPO address.
- Full-Time Online School: grades 1 to 8 in our founding year. Islamic Studies Program: grades 1 to 12.
- In a few states, full-time enrollment is paused until we meet that state's requirements for online schools. Families there may join the Islamic Studies Program and are never charged for a program we cannot offer them. Our state table shows each state.
- Families living in other countries, beyond those above, are placed on a waiting list with the reason explained.
What we consider
- Whether the program and grade are right for the child, based on age, schooling so far, and a conversation with the family.
- For Qur'an and Arabic placement, the child's current level, heard by a teacher.
- Whether we can meet the child's needs well, including any accommodations (see below).
- Space in the grade band, and whether the grade will open.
- The family's agreement to our Terms of Enrollment, including the learning-coach time the Full-Time Online School needs.
What we never consider
- Race, color, or national or ethnic origin.
- A family's income, or whether they request tuition assistance. Assistance is decided separately, after admission decisions, by need alone.
- The family's madhhab or creedal school within Sunni Islam, or their home language.
- Disability, where we can meet the child's needs with accommodations.
Children with disabilities
We consider every child with a learning plan or a disability for admission, and we provide accommodations and communication aids at no charge. We do not provide special-education services under an IEP, and we cannot carry out an IEP as written; the family's home public school district keeps its duty to evaluate the child and may offer services. If a child's needs are beyond what we can support well, we say so honestly, before enrollment, and explain why. See Learning Support.
Boys, girls, and adults
We admit boys and girls to every program. Some live classes are taught in separate groups for boys and girls, as described on Classes, Cameras, and Modesty. Family and Adult Learning is for adults 18 and older only, and adult learners are never placed with children.
How decisions are made
- Every admissions decision is made by a person on our admissions staff, and recorded with their name. No software decides.
- Decisions are admit, waitlist, or decline. A family who is declined is told the reason, unless telling it would harm the child.
- By March 15, 2027, every founding family hears whether their child's grade will open. If it will not, the family owes nothing.
- Applications for a child who does not enroll are deleted on the schedule in our Privacy Policy.
Raising a concern
If you believe a decision was unfair, write to admissions@