Israeli Local Authorities Demand Full State Funding for Special Education Assistants

Dozens of local government leaders across Israel have urged Education Minister Yoav Kisch to fully fund personal education assistants for children eligible for special education services. In a letter sent on Sunday, prominent figures including Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, Local Government Chair Haim Bibas, and Regional Council Chair Shai Hajaj emphasized that the current partial state funding forces municipalities to cover millions of shekels in costs that should not be their responsibility.

The dispute centers on the implementation of the Special Education Law, particularly Amendment 11 from 2018, which allows parents to choose the educational setting for their eligible children. However, local authorities argue that many parental choices are not optimal due to limited available services. They highlight a chronic shortage of paramedical therapists, which pushes families to opt for personal education assistants instead of other treatments. This trend has intensified, with requests for personal assistants rising about 30% annually.

According to the letter, this growing demand places an increasing financial burden on local governments, which currently absorb significant budget gaps caused by the rise in personal assistant placements. The municipalities demand that starting from the upcoming school year, the Ministry of Education cover 100% of the costs for personal assistants for integrated children. They also call for a long-term funding solution to avoid yearly budget uncertainties.

Michal Menax, Deputy Director for Education, Welfare, and Society at the Local Government Center, stressed that while inclusive education is important, the widening gap in infrastructure and funding is unsustainable. She noted the urgent need to recruit 5,000 additional assistants beyond the 25,000 currently employed, with costs estimated at around 72 million shekels borne by local authorities. The Ministry of Education has yet to respond to the letter.

Summary: Israeli local leaders have demanded that the Education Ministry fully fund personal education assistants for special needs children, citing a growing financial burden on municipalities due to rising demand and insufficient state support. They seek immediate and long-term funding solutions to address this issue.

Points: - Local authorities demand full state funding for personal education assistants for special needs children. - Requests for personal assistants have increased by approximately 30% annually. - Municipalities currently cover millions of shekels due to partial state funding. - Shortage of paramedical therapists pushes families to choose personal assistants. - Authorities call for immediate 100% funding and long-term budget certainty. - The Education Ministry has not yet responded to the demands.

Topic: politics israel_relevant: true Entities: {"people": ["Yoav Kisch", "Ron Huldai", "Haim Bibas", "Shai Hajaj", "Michal Menax"], "organizations": ["Ministry of Education", "Local Government Center", "Local Government Chair", "Regional Council"], "places": ["Tel Aviv", "Israel"]}