Israeli Arabs to get greater school funding, settlements less

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The methods used in calculating the budgets of the country's elementary schools are set to change in September to conform to a High Court of Justice ruling from last year, which is aimed at helping disadvantaged students and reducing inequality.

Under the new plan, which is being drafted by Education Ministry officials, the use of "national priority areas" in determining elementary school budgets will be scrapped in favor of ensuring an adequate basic funding level with additions for underserved populations.

Among other things, the changes will reduce funding for schools on settlements in the territories, which are currently considered national priority areas, and increase funding for schools in Arab communities.

"The new budget formula will change the political-education map from A to Z," a senior ministry officials said, "and transfer money to the most disadvantaged communities, most of which are Arab." The total annual budget for classroom hours in the elementary school system is estimated at about NIS 4.5 billion.

In response to a petition submitted by Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, the High Court ruled a year ago that the use of national priority areas in determining education budgets discriminated against the country's Arab sector. While 500 Jewish communities were awarded priority status, only four Arab communities enjoyed this special status. The court set the end of March this year as the starting date for the new policy.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/833812.html