Israel’s special education system is set to grow by 10.4% in the 2025/26 school year, nearly nine times faster than the general school system. Enrollment will rise from 354,000 students last year to 391,000, adding an estimated NIS 2–2.5 billion ($751.8 million) to the education budget.
Overall student numbers across Israel’s education system will increase modestly, from 2.558 million in 2024/25 to 2.587 million this year, a 1.1% rise.
Ultra-Orthodox schools are also expanding rapidly, with enrollment expected to climb 3.6%, from 562,000 to 582,000 students. Last year, the Education Ministry initially reported only 526,000 students in this sector, a figure later corrected after a review by local media.
Teacher numbers will grow even faster than student enrollment, rising from 236,000 to 253,000—a rate 7.2 times higher than the overall student increase. This surge is driven by the need for smaller class sizes in special education, which average seven students per class, and by separate classes in ultra-Orthodox schools.
In Israel’s Reclamation District—a region encompassing Hof Ashkelon, Sha’ar HaNegev, Eshkol, Shdudot, and Sdot Negev—23,700 students will start the year, up roughly 2,000 from last October due to population growth. Hundreds of children are returning to local schools for the first time since October 7, rejoining their communities and classrooms.