Israel sees sharp decline in math, reading, and science scores for students, according to new PISA results

The scores of Israeli students have dropped in mathematics, reading, and science, among the sharpest declines recorded in OECD countries since the PISA study began in 2000. This is according to alarming data published Tuesday by the National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education (RAMA) and the Ministry of Education.

According to the findings, alongside a moderate decline in average achievement scores of OECD countries in reading and mathematics, Israel’s decline was sharper in all areas tested: in reading, Israel dropped by 38 points (to 436 points), in mathematics by 25 points (to 433 points), and in science by 23 points (to 442 points).

On average, OECD countries dropped by 14 points in reading and 9 points in mathematics (the change in science is not significant).

The Ministry of Education claims that “Israel maintained its ranking in reading and science compared to 2018 and dropped by one place in mathematics.” However, Israel's average score is the lowest since the study began, and is similar to the score it reached in 2006 in mathematics and reading, and in 2009 in science.

The Ministry of Education attributes the decline in students' achievements to the war and its effects, although according to the research findings, based on principals' reports, the reasons for the impairment in students' abilities lie in the fundamental problems of the Israeli education system. About half of the principals reported a shortage of teachers and a mismatch or insufficiently trained teachers as the main reasons for the decline, alongside a lack of infrastructure and digital equipment to support the learning environment.

According to the study, as mentioned, the declines in Israel are among the sharpest recorded in OECD countries since the PISA survey began in 2000, especially in reading. There have been four cases recorded to date, including Israel, in which the achievements of an OECD country dropped by 35 points or more in a single cycle in this area.

Israel's average score in the three domains is the lowest since it began participating in PISA, and is not significantly different from the score it reached in 2006 in mathematics and reading and in 2009 in science.

Meanwhile, the proportion of students classified as struggling has risen to its highest level since 2006, while the proportion of outstanding students is plummeting. According to the findings, 46% of 15-year-olds in Israel struggle with mathematics, 41% with reading, and 40% with science.

In reading, the proportion of outstanding students dropped from 11% to 5%. About two-thirds or more of Arabic-speaking students were classified as struggling in all subject areas.

Additionally, the gaps between Israeli students, which stood out in previous PISA studies, narrowed this time, but not due to an improvement among the weaker students, rather because of a decline among the stronger students.

Within Israel, the sharpest decline in achievement was among Hebrew-speaking students in the state education system, where drops of 52 points in reading, 29 points in mathematics, and 28 points in science were recorded. In light of the decrease in the achievements of Hebrew-speaking girls in the state education system, there is currently no group of girls whose average achievements are significantly higher than those of girls in ultra-Orthodox educational institutions.

In the PISA 2025 study, more than 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries and economic entities participated. In Israel, the study was conducted among 7,330 students from 215 schools, constituting a nationally representative sample.

Minister of Education Yoav Kisch refused to take responsibility for the PISA data: "The education system did the best it could under the circumstances. We are doing everything to provide significant solutions. PISA reflects the changes that have taken place over the past three years, and especially the impact of the situation here, of the war, on the education system." After being asked about responsibility for the data, Kisch cut the press conference and the promised questions short.