School committee approves Islamic Education School expansion

The Revere School Committee voted Feb. 10 to approve a phased expansion request from the Islamic Education School (TAIS), allowing the private school to add middle-school and, in later phases, high-school grades.

TAIS Principal Rowan Shabban told the committee the school has operated K–5 with 48 students and proposes a careful one-grade-at-a-time rollout to ensure instructional quality and sufficient facilities. "This request reflects not a rapid expansion, but a natural growth to meet the needs of our existing school community," Shabban said.

Shabban described a sixth-grade daily schedule that mirrors public-school instructional hours, said TAIS uses established programs for ELA, math, science and social studies, and noted assessments such as NWEA MAP and other diagnostics to track growth. He also said sister campuses provide curricular guidance and that TAIS plans to maintain small teacher-to-student ratios.

Committee members asked about space and enrollment. Shabban said some classrooms and a downstairs open area are available and that the school intends to cap enrollment per grade to preserve small classes. "We try to keep it at a small teacher-to-student ratio for each grade level," he said.

After discussion, Miss Bronson Rizo moved to approve the expansion; the motion was seconded and the committee approved the request by roll-call vote. The chair congratulated the applicants following the vote.

Next steps noted by the committee: the school will submit required documentation to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education following local approval; the committee will notify DESE that it has approved the program.