Israel Sees Sharpest Decline in Student Scores Among OECD Nations

Student performance in Israel has plummeted in mathematics, reading, and science, marking one of the steepest declines recorded among OECD countries since the PISA study began in 2000. The concerning data, released by the National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education (RAMA) and the Ministry of Education, follows delays attributed to disputes between the bodies and attempts to withhold the results.

While OECD countries experienced moderate average score drops in reading and math, Israel's decline was significantly sharper across all tested areas. Israel's scores fell by 38 points in reading (to 436), 25 points in math (to 433), and 23 points in science (to 442). In contrast, the OECD average decrease was 14 points in reading and 9 points in math, with no significant change in science. Despite the Ministry of Education's claim that Israel maintained its relative standing in reading and science and dropped only one place in math compared to 2018, the current average scores are the lowest for Israel since the study's inception, mirroring levels from 2006 in math and reading, and 2009 in science.

The Ministry of Education attributes the decline to the war and its effects. However, the PISA findings, based on principal reports, point to systemic issues within Israel's education system as the primary cause. Nearly half of principals cited a shortage of teachers, unqualified or inadequately trained staff, and insufficient infrastructure and digital equipment as major contributing factors.

Israel's score drops are among the most severe in the OECD since 2000, particularly in reading, where only four other OECD countries have seen similar or greater declines in a single cycle. The proportion of students classified as struggling has reached its highest point since 2006, while the percentage of high achievers has fallen. Specifically, 46% of 15-year-olds in Israel struggle with math, 41% with reading, and 40% with science. The percentage of top performers in reading dropped from 11% to 5%. Over two-thirds of Arabic-speaking students were identified as struggling in all subjects.

Furthermore, the previously noted achievement gaps between Israeli students have narrowed, not due to improvement among weaker students, but because high-achieving students have declined. The sharpest drops were observed among Hebrew-speaking students in the state education system, with decreases of 52 points in reading, 29 in math, and 28 in science. The PISA 2025 study involved over 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries and economies; in Israel, the study included 7,330 students from 215 schools.