The purpose of this study is to add to the small but growing literature on Islamic schools for preschool children. The questions asked were (1) What motivates parents to send their children to an Islamic preschool; (2) What is taught in these preschool programs; and (3) What is the quality of education and care in these settings?

The findings of the study were based on personal interviews with school directors and parents, ethnographic observations, and formal classroom quality evaluations through ECERS. The majority of families enrolling their children in Islamic preschool were immigrants from the Middle East and South Asia, whose children were born in the United States. Muslim parents in this study wanted their children to be in a safe, Islamic environment, where they can learn about their religious, linguistic and cultural heritage; be proud of their Muslim-American identity; and help change the misconceptions of Islam in the U.S. through their well-mannered behavior and morally sound conduct. Furthermore, the mission of these Islamic preschools encompasses the following: to provide Muslim children developmentally appropriate quality education in a safe Islamic environment. This in turn will help give them a positive self image while providing an ethical and religious foundation. These state-licensed preschool programs include a general early childhood education curriculum with religious and Arabic language elements. Standardized environmental classroom quality rating scores are middle range, neither in the good nor poor range. All programs accept non-Muslim children. Most programs said that they would be willing to adjust their schedule to meet any state requirements if included in a state funded preschool initiative. In general, Islamic preschools strive to meet the needs of their immigrant communities and bridge the gap between American education and traditional values by using Western educational models to help Muslim children prepare for kindergarten and their life as good Muslim-Americans.