Israel's PISA Scores Plummet in Reading, Math, and Science
Translated & summarized from Alarab by baba
Israel's 2025 PISA test results show a concerning decline in student performance in reading, math, and science, falling below OECD averages and highlighting significant socioeconomic and gender gaps. The Ministry of Education attributes the drop to wartime conditions and is implementing a recovery plan.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli students show significant PISA score declines in reading, math, and science.
- Scores fall below the average performance of OECD countries.
- Nearly 30% of students lack basic proficiency in key subjects.
- Socioeconomic and gender gaps persist in academic achievement.
- Education Minister cites war impact; ministry plans interventions.
Results from the 2025 PISA tests reveal a significant decline in academic achievement among Israeli students across reading, mathematics, and science. The scores, published by Walla news on September 8, 2026, show a drop of 38 points in reading, 25 in math, and 23 in science over just three years, marking one of the largest declines among participating nations.
Israeli students now lag behind the average scores of OECD countries. Israel's average in science was 442, compared to the OECD average of 482. In reading, Israel scored 436 against the OECD's 461, and in mathematics, 433 versus 463. Alarmingly, approximately 29% of Israeli students failed to reach basic proficiency levels in all three subjects combined, compared to the OECD average of 19.7%.
The results also highlighted gender disparities, with female students outperforming males in reading by 38 points and in science by 14 points. Math scores showed no significant gender gap. Socioeconomic disparities persist, with an 82-point gap in science achievement between students from the highest and lowest socioeconomic backgrounds in Israel.
Regarding technology, nearly half of Israeli students (49.3%) use artificial intelligence weekly for learning, slightly higher than the OECD average of 45.5%. However, schools face challenges in effectively integrating digital tools for educational improvement.
Parent committees described the results as a "real alarm bell" for the education system, citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, security events, and the recent war on educational continuity and student well-being. While acknowledging these factors, they stressed the Ministry of Education's responsibility to address the crisis and called for a national plan with clear goals, resources, and timelines.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch stated that the tests were administered in March 2025 during the height of the war under exceptional circumstances. He attributed the results to the war's impact and confirmed the ministry is implementing a plan to address these challenges, expecting improvements in future PISA tests. The results serve as a clear message about the need to address declining performance and persistent gaps to ensure quality and equitable education for all students.
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