This paper analyzes the challenges embedded in the conflict between the right to accessible education, which implies a prohibition on discriminatory practices in school admission, and the right to adaptable education, which accommodates children's cultural affiliations. It shows that a normative lens, which examines the ways by which legal rules…

Many countries are struggling to reconcile greater flexibility in school choice with the need to ensure quality, equity and coherence in their school systems. This report provides an international perspective on issues related to school choice, especially how certain aspects of school-choice policies may be associated with sorting students into…

This study explores the impact of litigation on the mobilization of ethnic equality in the admission to Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) schools in Israel, and examines the socio-political mechanisms that have shaped this impact. It uses a case-study approach and draws on an analysis of documents and interviews. The findings confirm the conclusions of…

This paper offers a model for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of judicial involvement in educational reforms. It uses the model to analyze two case studies of court-led educational reforms in the third rail of Israeli politics--the curricula and the admission policies of ultra-Othodox (Haredi) schools. These case studies are located at the…

This paper uses a novel dataset to test the important theoretical prediction that the level of investment in schooling is increasing in the rate of return to education. We exploit a unique episode where different Israeli kibbutzim shifted from equal sharing to productivity-based wages in different years, resulting in sharp increases in the return…

The Hebrew literature curriculum for secondary schools in the Arab sector (course of study and Matriculation Examinations) was approved by the Israeli minister of education in March 1975; published in the director general's special circular A for 1977 (dated September/October 1976). The curriculum is still in effect and binding today. Besides the…

The present study addressed two research questions: (a) the extent to which students who were exposed to meta-cognitive instruction are able to implement meta-cognitive processes in a delayed, stressful situation, in our case--being examined on the matriculation exam; and (b) whether students preparing themselves for the matriculation exam in…

This study examined factors contributing to the achievements of Israeli Bedouin and Jewish students in an Israeli college for teacher education. The study employed Tinto's model and its core concepts of academic and social integration as main explanatory factors for student achievement in an academic institute. Background characteristics were also…

Examined whether the measures used in the admission of students to universities in Israel are gender-biased, using first-year university performance as the criterion and six predictors. Results for 61,885 Hebrew speakers show that no gender bias was detected when using the admissions score but bias in favor of women was found when using school…

An experiment was conducted to determine the possibility of adding a listening comprehension test to the English matriculation exam in Israel. The testing method and teachers' and pupils' reactions are noted, and the test itself is included. (Available from English Inspectorate, Ministry of Education and Culture, P. O. Box 292, Jerusalem, Israel.)…

Course of study, target student population, structure of matriculation examination, student outcomes and attitudes of student toward various components of this examination are described. It was found that this examination not only offers a fair, educationally valid assessment but also provides support and direction which result in more effective…

Special science and mathematics programs available to students at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel are described. The Summer Science Institute, mentor programs, screening procedures, science clubs, an outdoor interactive science museum, science fairs, mathematics olympia, a "mathematics by mail" program, and the International…

Students in Israel who wish to enter institutes of higher education are required to hold a matriculation certificate. Matriculation exams are therefore high-stake and stressful. In 1993 the Minister of Education appointed a committee to consider reforming the matriculation policy. This paper describes the political and societal aspects of the…

A broad description is given of admissions procedures to Israeli universities. In Israel, a single unified test, the Psychometric Entrance Test, is used for admission to the various universities. Issues of validity and reliability and problems of ensuring fairness for non-Hebrew speakers are considered. (SLD)

This paper describes the four major changes that have taken place in the Israeli Matriculation Examinations since the early 1950's. Before the changes, students at the end of the 10th grade took three mandatory examinations, and students at the end of the 12th grade took four mandatory examinations and two examinations that depended on the course…