West Bank Schools See Funding Boost at Expense of Northern and Southern Peripheries

The Israeli Ministry of Education has expanded the security-based funding track for high schools, resulting in increased financial allocations per student in the West Bank at the expense of the periphery in the north and south, as well as the Arab education sector. According to a data analysis by the Manor Center published by Channel 12, an average of 1,213 shekels more was invested per student in West Bank settlements. In contrast, per-student funding decreased by 570 shekels in the north and 232 shekels in the south.

Budget Reallocation and the Security Track

The additional funds are meant to cover costs not covered by the standard budget, such as smaller classes, diverse subjects, and teachers in remote locations. Manor Center's analysis shows that the policy shift stemmed from a Ministry of Education circular issued a year and a half ago, which added 33 localities—many of them in the West Bank—to the security track, which offers the highest supplementary rate regardless of student population size.

The Ministry of Education grants complementary funding to small schools coping with geographical or security challenges to help them offer a diverse curriculum.

Impact on Educational Streams

The funding changes have created notable disparities among different educational streams across the country. According to the Manor Center, the average supplementary funding per student in the 2025/26 school year increased in the state-religious sector (by 124 shekels) and the ultra-Orthodox sector (by 126 shekels), while decreasing in the general state sector (by 74 shekels) and the Arab state sector (by 308 shekels).

As a result, the supplementary state investment per student in the state-religious sector stood at an average of 1,888 shekels—more than triple the funding allocated to students in the general state education stream.