Michigan Islamic Academy (MIA) opened in 1985 as a subsidiary of the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor and Vicinity. The vision of cultivating a community environment that fosters solid Muslim identity development and a robust academic foundation—shared by the nine-member board of education, families, educators, and local community leaders—provided the impetus to establish the school and Islamic Center.

We Are the First

MIA became the first K–12 Islamic school in Michigan and one of the first in the US to offer all academic subjects that aligned with the state curriculum framework and include Islamic Studies, Qur’an, and Arabic. MIA is also the first accredited Islamic school recognized by the state of Michigan as a non-public school and the first to offer dual enrollment and on-site college courses.

Early Years

In MIA’s early years, staff and students faced challenges due to the limitations of a modest educational facility. In the school’s first year after being established, for example, MIA’s principal did not have a secretary to assist with administrative tasks, and teachers taught combined grades of kindergarten through eighth-grade in four classrooms—spaces initially designed to support weekend school classes. Despite these constraints, all stakeholders were determined to make MIA a success.

Evolution

The school soon evolved to meet growing community needs, such as acquiring a part-time secretary and installing playground equipment for the 1987–88 academic year.

MIA reached two significant milestones in 1996: graduating its first class of high school seniors and constructing the infrastructure of its current main building, which accommodated more than the previous 100-student enrollment maximum.

Since then, MIA has graduated over 400 students, many of whom have gone on to attend reputable institutions, represent a wide range of professions, and positively contribute to communities at home and abroad. These achievements stand as a testament to the quality of education and character development at MIA and the dedication of its stakeholders.

School Expansion Project

In 2014, MIA launched its school expansion project to accommodate our growing student body and educational offerings. Transitions into classrooms in the newly constructed building were finally made permanent when the Certificate of Occupancy for the new building was issued in 2018. Following the school expansion project, renovations began for the original building, including a main level, four classes, and four restrooms on the lower level.

Today’s Growth and a Diverse Student Population

With the steadily growing MIA student population, we have quickly outgrown our current facility. The MIA Board of Education has started with preliminary plans to seek property/land to expand its Upper School (Grades 6–12) to an alternative location. With the help and guidance of Allah (swt) and the support of our local community, we continue to develop our campus and programs to achieve our mission of “providing excellence in education while nurturing Muslim character.”