Understanding the Israeli Educational System: The Basics
Senior High School
Senior high school includes grades 9-12 (tet, yud, yud aleph, and yud bet). Senior high schools fall into the category of independent recognized schools, and are operated by the municipalities or by various national authorities or associations, such as ORT, or by private boards of directors.The Ministry of Education supervises curricula and matriculation examinations, although the subjects considered obligatory vary according to each school's orientation. The subjects common to all students include History, Jewish Studies, Hebrew Language and Literature, Social Sciences, English, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Physical Education.Students may also choose to add on classes in such topics as physics, chemistry, biology, or an additional foreign language. The structure of the high school curriculum allows students to choose the scope, level, and pace of the subjects that they will study. The students are required to major in a particular subject area starting in the 11th grade. As there is a wide variety in the high school trends, it is difficult to generalize about the atmosphere in Israeli high schools. Students can at times be taking upwards of 10 subjects , which means that they have a considerable breadth of exposure. As a result of the emphasis on field trips and extracurricular activities, students are usually very involved in their schools. A wide range of activities is usually offered in high schools, including clubs, volunteer work, music, sports, films, etc. In addition, every class elects a class committee, and together all of the school's class committees choose representatives for a student council to represent the entire student body. The student council organizes events, publishes the student newspaper, and represents student interests to the administration.
Study Levels
High school subjects are all studied at varying “study levels.” A study level is defined by the number of “study units” undertaken for that subject. The number of study units indicates the depth of study of the subject, the level of difficulty at which the student is tested, and the number of hours devoted to that subject. Study levels range from between 1 and 5 study units. One study unit is usually worth 90 classroom hours. This means that subjects that were studied at the level of 5 study units involve at least 450 classroom hours. There are three levels at which subjects may be studied:Elementary: 1-3 units.Intermediate: 4 units.Advanced: 5 units. Each student may choose the level at which he wishes to study and be examined (provided that he fulfills the minimum requirements for each subject). In grade 10 (kita yud), all students at all levels study the mandatory core subjects, while in 11th grade (kita yud aleph) students choose their study tracks in the humanities, science, or technology.
Note: Not all subjects are available as majors at all schools every year.
Grades
The grade that is given for a particular subject is a combination of the average grade received on the in-school exams, the final class grade, and State-administered exam (“Bagrut” or Bagruyot”).
Subjects
In senior high school, students study subjects from each of the following groups:Mandatory core subjects Mandatory electives Additional electives
Mandatory Subjects
In order to matriculate, high school students are obligated to study the following subjects:Tanach (Bible) – 2 Study UnitsMath – 3 Study UnitsEnglish – 3 Study UnitsLiterature – 2 Study UnitsHistory – 2 Study UnitsHebrew Expression – 2 Study UnitsCitizenship – 1 Study Unit Note that a minimum of two study units of Tanach (Bible) is the mandatory requirement in non-religious schools. In religious schools, students are expected to study Tanach at a higher level.Students are entitled to increase the number of study units beyond the minimum requirement for any mandatory subject. In such a case, the student will be tested at a higher level. The system encourages higher level of study in all subjects and grants a higher weighted grade to higher level of study; special bonus points are credited to those undertaking 4 & 5 unit courses of study.
Mandatory Electives
There are some 45 electives from which every student must chose at least one in which he will be tested. Approximately half are from the humanities/social sciences grouping, while the other half includes professional/technical subjects. Note that not every course is offered in every high school. In some cases, the availability of specific courses depends on the orientation of the school and on the required minimum number of students to be registered for the course. Approved elective topics include:
MicrobiologyArchitecture, Electronics, Electronics and Computers, Management and Economics, Applied Arts, Systems Analysis, Automated Auditing, Design, History, Philosophy, Bookkeeping, Hebrew Literature, Technological Chemistry, Arabic, Land of Israel Studies, French, Computer, Science, Fundamentals of Nursing, Political Science, Oral Torah, Jewish Philosophy, Construction Engineering, Art, General Technology, Biology, Talmud, Geography, Technical Thermodynamics, Agriculture, Theater, Chemistry, Developmental Psychology, Economics, Tourism, Life Sciences, Marketing and Sales Promotion, Social Science, Fundamentals of Nautical Navigation, Music, Computerized Engineering Systems, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Optics
Additional Electives
There are some 100 additional elective topics which are authorized by the Ministry of Education, and for which matriculation exams are administered. Students may choose additional electives according to their areas of interest and personal capabilities.
Full Matriculation Certificate
The Matriculation Certificate (te’udat bagrut) is that all-important piece of paper required for the continuation of academic studies in a university or college. There are also many employers who make it a condition of employment. It is granted to students in academic, technological, agricultural schools, and yYeshiva high schools, who pass all exams and meet all other matriculation requirements. Immigrant students are entitled to certain concessions of the examinations and to help in preparing for them.
Structure of the Matriculation Certificate
All students who wish to receive a matriculation certificate must pass the National Matriculation Exam (referred to as the bechina chitzonit), administered by the Ministry of Education. The required subjects include Bible, Composition, English or French, Hebrew grammar and Mathematics, among others. Further, each school determines the number of additional subject units according to its own requirements. The matriculation certificate contains a list of the subjects in which the student was tested in the exam, as well as those subjects in which the student was tested by the school (known as the bechina pnimit). Bagrut exams take place over a three-year period. For example, at the conclusion of 10th grade (kita yud), Hebrew exams are administered, while history exams are given at the end of 11th grade (kita yud aleph). Elite Academy students take their English language bagrut at the end of 10th grade. Certain exams are oral, but the majority are written exams. In some cases, such as language exams, the exams are both written and oral. It is necessary to achieve a minimum grade of 56 (out of a possible 100) in each subject in order to the pass the bagrut exam. Students may repeat particular exams in order to improve their scores.Students must also have done volunteer work in the tenth grade, and must have participated in physical education and homeroom sessions each year, in order to matriculate.
Research Projects
In place of an exam, a student may choose to present an end-of-the-year research project in a particular subject. The project is presented at the conclusion of grade 11 (kita yud aleph), and is based on independent work and research.
Matriculation for Students with Learning Disabilities
Students who are certified -- by Israeli professionals --as being learning disabled may be eligible for certain concessions on the matriculation exam. For example, in some subjects it may be possible to take an oral exam instead of a written one. (For more information, contact your school directly.)
Boarding School
Boarding schools vary from youth villages to agricultural schools, technical schools, and Yeshiva high schools for boys and for girls. They are designed primarily for students who have come to Israel without their parents, or who are interested in studying away from home.
Youth Villages
In youth villages (kfarei noar), students receive individual guidance and counseling, receive help with their studies, and benefit from a range of social and cultural activities. There are both State and State Religious youth villages. You can find listings of State and State Religious youth villages on the Ministry or Education Website: www.education.gov.il.
Yeshiva Boarding Schools
Yeshiva boarding schools are designed for boys who wish to combine academic high school subjects with yeshiva learning and social frameworks. There is a wide variety of yeshiva high schools throughout the country. Similar frameworks for girls, known as "ulpanot," also offer a combination of academic and religious studies.Consult the Ministry of Education Website: www.education.gov.il for a listing of yeshiva high schools, ulpanot, and recognized unofficial frameworks.
Note: The Elite Academy program works with a select group of schools; we do not yet offer more than 1 option in each of the tracks available.