As Kids Get Older, Parents’ Trust in Israel’s Education System Falls

The age gap in Israel’s education system is reflected not only in what students learn, but also in how parents view their children’s schools. A new report from the Central Bureau of Statistics, based on a social survey of 6,452 respondents age 20 and older, points to a clear trend: the older the student, the less satisfied parents are with the educational support being provided.<\/p>

In early childhood, the picture is relatively optimistic. But as children move into older age groups, that trust erodes. In middle and high schools, the share of parents who report being very satisfied drops to just 33%.<\/p>

Looking at the quality of teaching in secondary schools, about 21% of parents say they are not satisfied at all, compared with 29% who are very satisfied and 42% who describe themselves as “satisfied.”<\/p>

The survey also took a close look at remote learning, a tool that has become routine during emergencies in recent years. The findings are unequivocal: an overwhelming majority of parents see it as an ineffective solution. In elementary schools, 67% of parents said remote learning is not effective, while only 13% said it is. The picture is similar in middle and high schools, where 65% believe the method has not proven itself and only 19% see it as a useful tool.<\/p>

Another issue emerging from the data is how well regular school settings meet each child’s needs. In elementary schools, fewer than half of parents, 47%, feel that the school provides a broad response, “to a great extent,” to their child’s needs. That gap has a direct financial impact on families: about 35% of parents of elementary-school children, roughly 425,700 parents, had to pay for private tutoring outside school hours during the year preceding the survey.<\/p>

Despite widespread public criticism over shortages of staffing positions and educational support staff, preschools receive positive marks when it comes to the ratio between teachers and support staff. Among parents of children in pre-pre-kindergarten, 62% said they were very satisfied with the staffing and care ratio in the preschool, while another 31% expressed satisfaction. This positive trend continues in mandatory kindergarten, where 57% are very satisfied and 36% are satisfied.<\/p>