I noticed how low Israel is in the rankings which is around Greece and Turkey. This confused me based on what I thought I knew. Then I saw this
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000898881
The PISA exam shows substantial gaps between Hebrew and Arabic-speaking pupils. In the math exam, Hebrew speakers achieved a score of 489 points, while Arabic speakers achieved a score of 388 points. Arabic speakers scored 98 points less than Hebrew speakers in the science exam.
If we just take Hebrew speakers then they are around the same as Norway. Of course even then not all Hebrew speakers are Ashkenazi Jews, say, versus Sephardi Jews.
Yes you have 3 different educational echelons (I disregard the orthodox autonomous system here): -Arabic public education, most of their high school are horrible but you have a designated few who outperform most Jewish high schools (where the rich Arabs send their kids). - Public education in poor Jewish\Sephardi areas, sub par and declining rapidly. - Public education where rich\Askenaz Jews live in with better faculty and infrastructure.
The tilt is astonishing especially in the Israeli SATs. My old high school's (semi-private and posh) average was 100 points higher than the national average and around 200 points higher than poor area\arabic average (the score scale is between 200-800). A good grade is considered in the range of 700-800 where statistically 5% of the grades fall, at my school around 25%+ got 700+.
I blame both our outdated form of secondary school educations and the low wages teachers get which prevent any quality individuals landing at job. This entire issue becomes more staggering when you see tests from the 60s and 70s where we usually ranked in the top 5.
