Israel's PISA Scores Plummet Across Subjects, Lagging Behind OECD Average

Students in Israel have experienced a significant decline in their performance across all subjects tested in the 2025 PISA exams, falling considerably below the OECD average. The results, released Tuesday, show Israel losing 38 points in reading comprehension, 25 in mathematics, and 23 in science compared to the 2022 exams. This decline is reflected in Israel's ranking among OECD nations, dropping five places to 31st out of 38 in reading, two places to 33rd in science, and one place to 33rd in mathematics.

The Ministry of Education described the score drop in the state education system as "exceptionally unusual." The PISA tests assess the ability of 15-year-olds to apply knowledge and skills to real-world tasks. Despite previous efforts by the Education Ministry to influence PISA results, the latest outcomes were disappointing. Globally, Israel ranked 43rd out of 91 countries in science and mathematics, and 37th in reading comprehension.

In science, Israel's average score was 442, compared to the OECD average of 482. Mathematics scores were 433 versus 463, and reading comprehension was 436 versus 461. The Ministry of Education attributed the sharp decline primarily to the exams being administered during wartime, noting the disruption caused by conflict, displacement, and the mobilization of educators. The report highlights that Israel's score drops were among the steepest in the OECD since 2000, particularly in reading comprehension.

Furthermore, 29% of Israeli students failed to reach basic proficiency levels in all three subjects, significantly higher than the OECD average of 19.7%. The percentage of high-achieving students (scoring at levels 5 or 6) also fell to 8.8%, below the OECD average of 11.9%. Gender disparities were also evident, with boys showing particularly sharp declines, especially in reading comprehension, while girls maintained an advantage in reading and science despite their own score decreases.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch stated that the results, despite being challenging, demonstrate the resilience of the Israeli education system amidst the war. He emphasized the commitment to learning from the data to improve future performance. The National Parents' Association expressed disappointment, attributing the decline to years of disrupted schooling due to various conflicts and crises, calling for a national plan to address learning gaps.