The Al-Hadi School of Accelerative Learning is an Islamic primary and secondary school in Southwest Houston, Texas.[1] The school is located on the premises of the Islamic Education Center of Greater Houston (IEC) of Houston, which also houses one of the largest Shia mosques in Houston.[2] According to Fahem Kalzimi, the chairperson of the IEC, the school is a Houston-area nonprofit organization that leases from the IEC property.[3] The school is near Westheimer Road.[4]
The Alavi Foundation, a charitable Islamic foundation headquartered in New York City, purchased the property that would become the IEC for $1.1 million in 1988.[4] In March 1995 a "Full-Time School Committee" formed with the intent of establishing a year round Islamic primary and secondary school in Greater Houston. The Al-Hadi School opened on January 9, 1996.[5] Between 1997 and 2004 the Alavi Foundation made $285,000 worth of improvements to the IEC property.[4] In 2001 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited the school. The first class of high school seniors graduated in 2003.[5]
In 2009 the Federal Government of the United States attempted to seize over $500 million in assets from the Alavi Foundation, accusing the foundation of being a front for the Government of Iran. The IEC, including Al-Hadi School, was among the assets. The IEC property had a brief mention in the federal lawsuit. The federal government did not file any allegations of wrongdoing of workers and worshippers at the IEC mosque. Houston-area Shia Muslims criticized the federal government's actions.[4] As the federal lawsuit unfolded, the Islamic school continued to operate.[3]
As of 2010, about 300 students attend the school. Most of the students are bilingual, with several languages represented in the student body.[1]