The recent findings from the National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education (RAMA) and the Ministry of Education highlight a concerning decline in the academic performance of Israeli students in mathematics, reading, and science, according to the latest PISA data. Since the PISA study commenced in 2000, Israel has recorded some of the sharpest declines among OECD countries, including a drop of 38 points in reading, 25 points in mathematics, and 23 points in science.
While the average scores in OECD countries have also declined, Israel’s reductions are significantly sharper. The Ministry of Education contends that Israel maintained its ranking in reading and science but fell one position in mathematics. However, the average scores are the lowest Israel has achieved since joining PISA and are comparable to scores from as far back as 2006 and 2009.
The Ministry attributes the decline to the impacts of war, citing challenges in the education system, such as teacher shortages and inadequate infrastructure. Principals have reported that around half of their schools are facing significant challenges, attributing declines in student performance to long-standing systemic issues.
The data indicates a sharp rise in the proportion of struggling students—46% in mathematics, 41% in reading, and 40% in science—while the percentage of high-achieving students decreased notably, particularly in reading, where it fell from 11% to 5%. Additionally, the performance gaps among students have narrowed, a trend attributed not to improvement among weaker students but a decline among higher-performing ones.
The results show particularly concerning trends for Hebrew-speaking students, who faced the most significant declines. Minister of Education Yoav Kisch has refrained from taking personal responsibility for the results, attributing challenges to the recent circumstances in Israel.
