Israel's PISA Scores Plummet to Historic Lows in Reading, Math, and Science
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Israel's 2025 PISA scores have hit historic lows in reading, math, and science, with significant drops in average scores and a rise in students failing to meet basic proficiency. The decline is attributed partly to attendance issues, classroom disruptions, and challenges with teacher qualifications, though Haredi girls showed strong performance.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli students' PISA scores in reading, math, and science reached historic lows in 2025.
- Significant percentages of students failed to meet basic proficiency levels in all three subjects.
- High-achieving student numbers have decreased, contributing to a narrowed performance gap.
- Student surveys revealed issues with attendance, engagement, and classroom disruptions.
- Haredi girls' performance in reading surpassed secular students, contrasting the overall decline.
- The PISA tests were administered during wartime, potentially impacting results.
Recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results for 2025 reveal a significant decline in academic performance among Israeli students across reading, mathematics, and science. The scores represent the lowest ever recorded in Israel since its participation in the study, marking a sharp downturn.
In reading, the average score dropped by 38 points from 474 in 2022 to 436 in 2025, an unusually steep decline compared to other OECD countries. Mathematics scores fell from 458 to 433, and science scores from 465 to 442. A critical finding is that a substantial percentage of Israeli students are not reaching the basic proficiency level: 46% in math, 41% in reading, and 40% in science.
The proportion of high-achieving students has also diminished. Top performers in reading decreased from 11% to 5%, while in math, it stands at 5% compared to the OECD average of 8%. In science, only 4% of Israeli students are considered high achievers, versus 7% in other OECD nations. While this has narrowed the gap between high and low performers, it is due to a more pronounced drop in top-tier scores.
Student responses indicate issues with school engagement and attendance. Thirty-seven percent of Israeli students reported missing at least one full school day in the two weeks prior to the test, compared to 22% in the OECD average. Additionally, 37% felt school was a "waste of time," and many reported disruptions in class due to noise and discipline problems. The study also noted significant screen time during school hours and a high rate of AI tool usage for academic tasks.
School principals reported that in 47% of Israeli schools, unqualified or inadequately trained teachers hinder learning, a rate significantly higher than the OECD average. However, girls in the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) education system showed strong performance in reading, surpassing their secular counterparts, and comparable results in math and science, bucking the overall downward trend.
The PISA tests were conducted in March and April 2025, during the ongoing war, affecting students from evacuated areas. While the OECD noted that the difficult security situation likely impacted results, the extent of this influence is hard to quantify.
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