State reportedly not cutting funds to Haredi schools that fail to teach core subjects

A Channel 13 report reveals that over the past three years, the Education Ministry did not remove funding from schools failing to teach core subjects, deducting less than half a percent from the United Torah Judaism network. This aligns with a 2025 Israel Democracy Institute study. The Knesset Finance Committee is set to vote Tuesday on an additional NIS 200 million for Haredi schools, despite the lack of core curriculum enforcement.

A Channel 13 report reveals that over the past three years, the Education Ministry did not remove funding from schools failing to teach core subjects such as math and English, deducting less than half a percent from the United Torah Judaism party's education network. This aligns with a 2025 Israel Democracy Institute research report, which found that only a small fraction of ultra-Orthodox boys' elementary schools that fail to teach core curriculum subjects face sanctions. The Knesset Finance Committee is slated to vote Tuesday on allocating an additional NIS 200 million ($65.5 million) for Haredi schools, despite the lack of core subjects. The article explains that most Haredi schoolchildren attend private schools with partial state funding, categorized as 'exempt' (55% funding for 55% curriculum), 'recognized but unofficial' (75% for 75%), or 'network' schools (fully funded, expected to teach full curriculum). A December 2025 brief by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara warned dozens of schools about losing accreditation. The 2026 state budget increased Haredi education allocations by over NIS 1 billion, from NIS 4.1 billion to NIS 5.17 billion. The Finance Ministry says 32% of Haredi institutions do not teach required core subjects, and 171 schools should be removed from networks. Last Wednesday, opposition lawmakers blocked a transfer of approximately NIS 392 million earmarked for Haredi education and settlements.