Hakalot (leniencies) and Hatamot (accomodations)

Translation of Hebrew Announcement from Misrad Hachinuch

The Ministry of Education has officially released its updated statement of  benefits for olim children as of Feb. 14, 2007. These changes ONLY AFFECT children classified as olim chadashim  and become effective in advance of the summer bagrut exams 2007. Because the protocols are just now being introduced there will be subsequent tweaking and revising of what you will read below as they are introduced into the school system.

Children who arrive in Israel entering 10th grade or arrive in Israel when they are 15 years of age or older, will be classified as olim chadashim (new olim)

Children who arrive in Israel before 10th grade, or before they reach the age of 15, will be classified as olim vatikim (veteran olim).

This status in terms of their rights will hold for ten years. Meaning, if you child arrives in 3rd grade or beyond they will have some special accommodations for the rest of their primary and secondary education.

In order to receive the special test booklets and oleh accommodations, you will need to get approval from the school's guidance counselor (yoetz/et)

An Oleh chadash status child will have the following benefits (proposed):

Their bagrut test booklet in the following subjects will be in written in English: Tanach, Literature, History, Citizenship, Math, Computer Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Electronics, Computers. Students will be required to answer in Hebrew.

This particular right will last for four years after they arrive, not ten.

For Tanach bagrut, students can use Hebrew/English Tanach

Someone will be able to read the questions to the students in subjects that are not word intensive (Computer Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Electronics, Computers)

Grammar and spelling mistakes will not be counted

There will be specific bagrut tests for students who have learning disabilities. [speak with your school guidance counselor]

For tests that are obligatory to take(such as Math, Hebrew, History, Bible etc.), and are only offered in Hebrew, the student will have the option to :

1)Have the special oleh test booklet and get 5 points added to the final score

2)Use the regular test booklet and get 15 points added to the final score.

For elective bagriyot tests(such as Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Electronics etc.)

In bagriyot that have less text intensive subjects (e.g. Math, Chemistry) the student can either:

1)have the regular test booklet with 10 points added to the final score

2) have the regular test booklet translated, with 10 points added to the final score

In bagriyot that are more text intensive, the students will have the option to:

1)have the test given orally, in Hebrew, with no additional points offered

2)take the regular test with 15 points added to the final score

3)have a translated test book, with 10 points added to the final score

For Mandatory tests that are offered in English(excluding the actual English bagrut) the student can choose to:

1)take the special oleh test, in Hebrew, and answer in English with an additional 5 points added on at the end

2)take the special oleh test, translated to English, and answer in English with no additional points added.

Optional bagrut tests, that are not text based, the student has the choice to

1)take the regular test in Hebrew, and answer in English, and receive an additional 10 points to the total score

2)take the regular test, translated, answer in English, and no receive any additional points.

For optional bagrut tests that are text dependant, the student may:

1)take the regular test in Hebrew, and answer in English, and receive an additional 15 points to the overall score

2)take the regular test, translated, answer in English, and not get any additional points.

All of these leniencies apply only for bagrut tests that take place in the "summer" testing period (i.e. the second semester of the year when the majority of the bagriyot are offered)

There are three caveats to the Education Department's announcement: one applying to budgets, one applying to minimum requirement of students in school requesting the accommodations, and one applying to the availability of staff to administer the accommodations. These caveats basically gives the Misrad HaChinuch the ability to rescind on the above leniencies. To determine eligibility of your child, you will need to be proactive with your child's homeroom teacher (mechanech/et) and school's guidance counselor.

Oleh Vatik- veteran oleh

The following chart relatates to accommodations for taking the exams

The following chart refers to grading of the bagrut exams