(Courtesy of AMIT) AMIT is Israel’s No. 1 educational network, according to rankings published this week by the Education Ministry. In naming AMIT the country’s highest-achieving educational network, the ministry cited its bagrut (high school matriculation) rate, as well as the number of students learning math and English at the highest levels.
“We are so proud of our exceptional reshet (network) leadership, staff, principals and teachers,” said Debbie Moed, AMIT’s president. “Starting the school year in this strong position will surely set the tone and will encourage everyone to keep pushing, achieving, and innovating.”
AMIT’s ranking as the top educational network in the country reflects its innovative method of education, which focuses on a holistic approach that encourages principals, teachers and students to realize their full potential personally and academically.
In recent years, AMIT has adopted a radically new approach that aims to prepare students for the 21st century by focusing on STEM education, and by creating learning communities in which the old way of teaching is left in the dustbin. AMIT’s educational methods focus more on engaged and active student learners who seek out information and learn to assess and analyze it with the help of teachers who are mentors, as opposed to lecturers.
Its goal is to produce graduates who are critical and creative thinkers who know how to problem-solve and work both independently and as part of a team.
The Education Ministry judged Israel’s educational networks according to seven measurements, including bagrut pass rate, dropout-prevention rate, highest level math and English studies and number of outstanding students, among others.
The network’s score includes the “grades” given to each individual school within every network. Each school was compared to similar schools in terms of socioeconomic level, geographic location, (ethnic) sector and other criteria.
Each network scored between 400 and 600 for each measurement, with AMIT scoring the highest for bagrut rate, and the highest number of students studying English and math at the 5-point bagrut level. AMIT’s scores were above average in six of the categories.
The Education Ministry also created an additional measurement that evaluates whether Israel’s educational networks encourage students to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces or perform national service, which is one of AMIT’s core values. AMIT schools regularly rank in the Top 10 for schools with the highest enlistment rate.
The ministry sent its rankings to all the local municipalities in Israel. It also informed them that should they want a network to run the schools in their municipality, they would need to use a bidding (tender) process that takes into account the networks’ achievements based on these measurements (the measurements will account for 55 percent of the tender).
“The reshet (network) believes in harnessing the best people for management and teaching, and invests in empowering each principal, teacher and students through a process of personal, professional and educational development,” Dr. Amnon Eldar, AMIT’s director general, told TheMarker newspaper, which published an article about the networks’ rankings.
“We want to change the outlook on education to one that suits the 21st century, and to transform schools into educational communities that develop mature, empowered, creative and entrepreneurial students.”
For more information, please visit www.amitchildren.org. AMIT, 817 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003 • 212-477-4720 • Fax: 212-353-2312
