Special education law in Israel

This article presents an overview of the legal status of special education in Israel. An examination of the Israeli Special Education Law of 1988, along with relevant Israeli legal precedents, basic laws, and recent judicial rulings, reveals a basic view of the nature of special education in Israel. Through a systematic examination of the legislative and judicial mandates, I draw specific inferences regarding the nature of parent participation in the educational process, the least restrictive environment (LRE), and the concept of due process in the public special education system in Israel. I argue that special education mandates in Israel do not guarantee education in the LRE and hence have promulgated a parallel placement system in which the special education bureaucratic system is empowered to act without parental input. I provide several specific suggestions to alleviate this problem; I further argue that these aspects of special education law and practice reflect more general aspects of Israeli life, aspects of the Israeli social structure that are changing as the state approaches its 50th birthday.