Israel opens school year with AI expansion, financial literacy push
Some 2.6 million students will begin the 2026-2027 school year in Israel on Tuesday, including roughly 180,000 first-graders, as the Education Ministry rolls out new programs spanning financial education, identity studies, and a significant expansion of artificial intelligence in classrooms and exams.
The ministry has set three priorities for the year: belonging and security, identity and roots, and knowledge and tools for coping with a changing world. Education Minister Yoav Kisch said the system is opening "with great responsibility and with a clear direction: to strengthen the sense of belonging and resilience of Israel's students, deepen identity, values, and heritage, while at the same time giving them the knowledge and tools that will enable them to lead and succeed in a rapidly changing world."
First week focuses on social resilience
The opening week will center on strengthening social ties and trust between students and teaching staff. Teachers will run emotional and social discussions, identify student needs, and address violence, social rejection, and ostracism in both physical and online spaces.
The ministry said the initiative rests on the view that academic achievement cannot be separated from a student's social and emotional condition. A sense of security and belonging is treated as a prerequisite for learning.
Financial education enters ninth-grade curriculum
Financial education will be taught for the first time as a subject, starting with ninth grade and expanding to tenth grade next year. The program aims to build independent financial management skills, critical thinking about financial issues, and preparation for adulthood and the workforce.
The annual theme, "Roots of AMI: Future, Heritage and Entrepreneurship," will run from kindergarten through 12th grade. The "Heritage Paths" field of study will expand to Druze elementary schools and seventh-grade classes in state and state-religious systems.
AI tools expand into classrooms and matriculation exams
Artificial intelligence will play a larger role this year. The 720 program, part of the "Realistic Israel" reform, will run in English studies across all middle schools and expand to about 140 schools in STEM fields. More than 12,000 English, science, and technology teachers are expected to receive AI training.
Eighth- and ninth-grade students will complete a 20-hour program using personalized AI-based learning systems, covering thoughtful and creative AI use, critical thinking, identifying false information, and ethical issues. AI tools will also be incorporated into matriculation assignments in more than 10 STEM study tracks. For educators looking to build these skills, AI for Teachers offers a structured path for integrating AI into classroom practice.
Twenty-seven schools nationwide, from Dimona to Majdal Shams, will open a dedicated AI sciences track, with graduates eligible for a technological certification. The ministry has set a target of returning Israel to the top 10 in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study by 2029. Students will take the tests this year for the first time since the reform began.
Gaza border communities show enrollment growth
The Tekuma region will open the school year with 22,233 students across five local authorities: Sderot and the Eshkol, Hof Ashkelon, Sdot Negev, and Sha'ar HaNegev regional councils. That figure represents a 9% increase compared with the period before October 7, 2023, or 1,802 additional students.
Residents have continued returning to communities including Kibbutz Kissufim, Holit, Kfar Aza, and teenage students from Kibbutz Be'eri. The Tekuma Administration is advancing eight education projects with a combined budget of NIS 364 million, including NIS 184 million for an education basket that lets local authorities address local needs, NIS 103 million for additional facilities, and NIS 54 million for informal education programs.
Tekuma Administration head Aviad Friedman said the enrollment increase "reflects the return home, the strengthening of communities, and the transition of the Tekuma region from rehabilitation to growth."
Why this matters for education professionals
The Israeli Education Ministry is treating AI literacy as a core competency, not an optional enrichment subject. Teachers in English, science, and technology will receive mandatory AI training, and assessment methods are being redesigned around AI use rather than against it. For educators and administrators, the signal is clear: AI proficiency is becoming a baseline expectation in national curricula, and professional development in this area is moving from elective to required. Resources like the AI for Education collection can help teachers stay ahead of that shift.
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