Report: Overall education funding high, spending per student low

Israel's total spending on education in relation to its gross domestic product is among the highest of the 34 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, but its per-student spending is relatively low, the OECD's annual report, “Education at a Glance,”revealed on Tuesday.

According to the report, Israel spends 7.3 percent of its GDP on education, well above the OECD average of 6.1%. The figure represents total spending, both from government and private sources. The report found that Israel came fourth among OECD countries for the amount parents shell out for their children's educations.

Despite the high level of education spending as a portion of the GDP, the report found Israel's educational spending per student remains very low, falling 25 to 37% lower (depending on the grade level) than average per-student spending in OECD nations. This might be due to Israel’s relatively small GDP compared to other OECD nations, or to the relatively high birth rate and large number of schoolchildren in Israel compared to other OECD nations.

According to the data, Israel spends $3,953 on each preschool student per year, compared with an average of $6,254 for developed nations, a difference of 37%. The record holders for preschool spending are the U.S., at $10,070 per year, and Iceland, at $10,080 per year.

Israel spends an average of $5,314 per year on its elementary school students, in contrast to the $7,065 average for developed countries, a gap of 25%. For middle- and high-school students, Israel spends $6,429 per year, in contrast to the $8,853 average for OECD countries, a difference of 27%.

There is also a significant gap in Israel's spending against other OECD countries at the university level. Israel spends $12,588 per student per year, in contrast to the OECD average of $18,258.