Al-Rahmah School (ARS) is a non-public, non-profit, tax-exempt educational organization recognized by the State of Maryland Department of Education and is accredited by the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS). The school is located on the campus of the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) in the suburban community of Baltimore, Maryland. The school is currently in its 32nd year of operation.
Established by a few families in 1969 while praying at Johns Hopkins University, the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) completed construction of Masjid Al-Rahmah in 1984. Shortly thereafter, the vision of establishing an educational institution on the premises came to fruition with the founding of Al-Rahmah School (ARS) in 1987. The first major expansion of the school was completed in 1996 when ten classrooms, a gymnasium, computer lab and cafeteria were added to the campus.
ARS was awarded the maximum 7 year certificate of accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools – Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS). This multi-year effort is a testimony to the hard work and labor of love exhibited by our ARS family of constituents.
The MSA-CESS Accreditation process is an external, objective validation of school quality and student achievement that fosters continuous school improvement through a holistic approach of examining the entire school.
In order to become accredited, ARS demonstrated that it meets the Middle States Association Commissions of Elementary and Secondary Schools’ Standards for Accreditation across twelve domains, which include: Mission, Governance and Leadership, Improvement Planning, Finances, Facilities, Health and Safety, School Organization and Staff, Educational Program, Assessment and Evidence of Student Learning, Student Life and Activities, Student Services, and Information Resources.