A growing funding crisis threatens to keep thousands of children in Modi’in Illit and Beitar Illit out of preschool when the new school year begins, as the heads of major Chareidi preschool networks warned they may refuse to open their doors unless the government intervenes immediately.

In a dramatic letter sent to Education Minister Yoav Kisch and local officials, the directors of several of the largest preschool networks warned that the crisis has reached a breaking point.

“If an immediate solution is not found, the upcoming school year will not open,” they wrote.

The dispute stems from what network administrators and veteran preschool teachers describe as a flawed government funding formula that fails to reimburse schools for the actual salaries of experienced teachers. They say the system forces networks to absorb mounting financial losses, leading to the dismissal of hundreds of veteran teachers and the possible closure of dozens of preschools.

The letter was signed by the heads of several major preschool networks operating hundreds of schools in Modi’in Illit and Beitar Illit, along with thousands more throughout Israel.

“We are all in the same boat,” the directors wrote. “Even those networks that have not yet decided to close schools will reach the exact same dead end within a year.”

The administrators stressed that veteran preschool teachers deserve the benefits of the “Ofek Chadash” education reform and called on the government to resolve the issue immediately to prevent a complete shutdown of the preschool system.

Meanwhile, approximately 150 veteran preschool teachers have appealed directly to members of the Knesset and senior government officials, warning that years of experience and professional advancement have effectively become a financial liability.

“A cruel and unbearable situation has been created,” the teachers wrote. “The more experienced and qualified we become, the more money the networks lose by employing us.”

They argued that under the current funding model, teachers with decades of experience are funded as though they have only a fraction of their actual seniority, creating a structural deficit that leaves school networks unable to cover payroll.

The teachers are demanding full government funding based on actual seniority and qualifications, immediate implementation of the Ofek Chadash reform in Chareidi preschools, and an immediate freeze on layoffs until a permanent solution is reached.

Without government intervention, school officials warn that thousands of children could be left without preschool classrooms when the 5787 school year begins.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)