The need for Islamic schools in the United States is growing with the increasing flow of Muslim immigrants. Increasing public school problems lead many Muslim parents to seek private education. Islamic schools are based on religion, though Islam is both a religion and a way of life. The ultimate goal of these schools is to produce graduates who are rich in knowledge, noble in character, and able to promote righteousness in society. Islamic schools include religious, sociocultural, and academic education. The Muslim Academy of Central Florida (MACF) serves K-8 students, providing a meeting ground for Muslim students from diverse cultures. Its curriculum is based on the teachings of the Quran. The curriculum includes Arabic language, Islamic studies, prayers, and all secular subjects. The MACF enables students to fulfill the Islamic goals of personal development, social competence, and continued learning. The school's purpose is to reform the total personality of the student, and to produce students who can accept Islam as a way of life, even outside the Muslim environment. Students learn to be better U.S. citizens. After 6 years of operation, the school is underenrolled because so many students continue to attend non-Muslim schools. (Contains 11 references.) (SM)