In a city as big and diverse as Houston, there’s always something special happening in every corner. Among all the schools and academies scattered across the city, Houston Quran Academy stands out. It’s not just a place where books and tests fill the day—it’s a place where young minds grow with values, discipline, and a deeper connection with their faith.
A Fresh Take on Education
Houston Quran Academy blends regular academic subjects with religious teachings. Instead of separating Islamic studies from daily school life, this place brings them together in a natural way. Students don’t just learn math, science, and history—they also explore the Quran, Hadith, and the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH). The balance makes your child’s learning feel full, not divided.
Every classroom gives off a calm, peaceful vibe. You walk in, and you hear respectful conversations, laughter between lessons, and teachers guiding students gently. It’s clear that the staff cares, not just about grades, but about each student’s growth as a whole.
Why HQA Stands Out
Our outcomes to date are exceptional! Our school is accredited and certified by Cognia, which is an international professional association that assesses the collaboration, data gathering, analysis of results, and decision-making processes of a school.
All the schools that are accredited by Cognia are well known to the United States Department of Education, meaning that our credits and courses are acceptable and recognized in any school within the United States. With that understanding, let us proceed with the academic aspect first and then the Quran memorization afterwards.
Academic Performance
Generally, academic performance is gauged by three methods: the school’s internal academic monitoring program, state assessments, and national assessments. In order to be objective and decrease bias, we pay more attention to state and federal assessments. We administer these tests every year.
The Texas STAAR test is a content test and assesses the student’s proficiency in the curriculum provided by the Texas public school system. Our students considerably outperform their peers statewide. The test is more about assessing the development of academic skills, particularly critical thinking skills.
Every student who sits for the test is given a national percentile ranking in order to compare him/her with other students nationwide. The test scores also provide each school with an average score per grade level in subjects like math, reading, etc. The average of the entire grade levels of the elementary and middle schools provides a good indication of how the school rates.
Strong schools with excellent academic programs score higher than the 80th percentile. Alhamdulillah, by Allah’s grace and the tireless efforts and dedication of our teachers, administration, parents, and board, our HQA average score has been between 96.6 and 98.7 since 2012. PSAT, ACT, and SAT are tests taken for college admissions, which are suggested for 11th-12th graders to check if they are ready to do college work.
Alhamdulillah. In spring 2014, we began to utilize the SAT and ACT for high school. By then, students would have completed all the required courses for this test, like algebra II, geometry, biology, and other such courses. We administered the ACT test to our students in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade to observe how they fare in this college readiness test. Under normal circumstances, a score ranging from 21 to 23 would be adequate, a score of 24 to 26 would be desirable, and a score above 26 is quite high.
Scores of HQA students varied from 23 to 32, with a mean of 28.1, which is very high. This is extremely rare given that they haven’t sat for math classes required for this exam yet. Reflect on the fact that HQA scores might be higher if the ACT were administered to students at 11th grade’s end and HQA has a relatively small sample size in comparison to other schools.
We want you, as a parent, to be assured that HQA offers the best education in the country to your child. These excellent results indicate how diligently and intelligently our teachers and students strive to achieve such high academic success. I pray to Allah that we maintain this trend, inshaAllah.
The Holy Quran Memorization Program
It is a crucial component in the preparation of our students to be the next generation of scholars and leaders of Islam in this nation.
Our senior teachers put their trust in Allah and the blessings of the Quran together with rigorous and professional effort, to yield the best results. The majority of our high school students will be completing the entire Quran with complete comprehension; some already have.
1. HQA lays major stress on comprehension in all the fields.
HQA lays heavy stress and importance on comprehension in all the areas of its syllabus. Every student is examined on the significance of what he or she will memorize prior to being examined on memorization. This step also improves and reinforces the memorization process. After the student completes comprehension of the meaning of the Surah and memorizing it, he or she must search deeply into the Surah and scrutinize it to identify the key lessons that the Surah is conveying. For instance, the point of Surat Ashams is as evident as the sun from its name. Observing the Surah demonstrates it contains the Qasam, the reply of the Qasam, and an illustration. The Qasam is made by the sun and other such things that are sworn upon in the Surah. The remainder of the surah is an example of Thamud and how they did not. After the student does this analysis to identify the lesson or lessons of the Surah, he is then questioned regarding how he would apply these lessons in his own life, which is the practice of the Surah’s lessons. This will then impact the personality of the child in a positive way.
2. HQA lays stress on proper pronunciation of every letter.
Many Muslims reading and memorizing the Holy Quran mispronounce words and verses because they were not corrected during the first recitation, and in other cases, they carry the issue forward from their instructors. At HQA, we promise parents that their kids will never have this issue.
3. HQA emphasizes proper rules of Tajweed.
They are instructed in the rules and have to memorize the name of every rule in a traditional manner that ensures that they can teach it to others professionally. There is also a formal Tajweed textbook used for this purpose.
4. HQA instructs Arabic grammar.
4th grade and above are instructed in Arabic grammar so that it supports and reinforces their learning and memorization of the Holy Quran. For instance, they will know why a particular vowel (Fatha, Damma, or Kasra) is placed on a particular word. Students learn gradually, and after some time, they become proficient at it.
5. HQA stresses developing skills.
There is a heavy stress at HQA on developing skills and not mere repetition and memorization without knowing and without being able to perform the task alone without assistance from the teacher. This is true for all areas of knowledge, whether it is in the reading of the Quran or in the reading of a passage in English or in solving a math problem. Skills are emphasized from the time a child becomes a member of HQA until he or she graduates. For instance, kindergarten students are taught to acquire the skills that make them independent readers of the Holy Quran so that by the end of the year and just before they go into first grade, they are able to read independently from any location in the Quran. All of our kindergarteners can read from any location in the Quran with reasonable speed compared to their age towards the close of the school year. Besides this, they can write Arabic words correctly with the right vowels. As they go to first grade, the reading and writing skills are reinforced more such that they are completely independent the moment they are in second grade.
6. HQA emphasizes the development of independent learning skills.
Emphasis on developing skills makes students independent learners who can study and learn independently with assistance, coaching, and direction from HQA experienced staff.
7. HQA distinguishes memorization plans.
Every 2nd-grade student and above has his or her own memorization and comprehension plan. No two plans are the same. Every child has the plan that is appropriate for him or her and is custom-made for his or her needs in a manner appropriate for his or her abilities and conditions. Advanced first-grade students also join the higher classes in their Quran work.
8. HQA educates on everyday, real-life lessons.
Each day, students receive a lesson in developing their Islamic personality and their character from either Dr. Main Alqudah or Dr. Hamed Ghazali. The lessons assist the students in developing their personality and assist them in becoming dedicated, balanced Muslims, erudite scholars, and contributing citizens and community developers.
A True Blend of Faith, Knowledge, and Growth
Houston Quran Academy gives you something hard to find elsewhere. It builds your faith, strengthens your mind, and shapes your character all in one place. The school’s calm vibe, kind teachers, and well-balanced programs leave a real impact. If you’ve been looking for a place where learning doesn’t feel like pressure and where religion isn’t treated like homework, this school does it right.