The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI)

What The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI) does

The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI) is an Israeli non-profit association founded in 2009 and headquartered in Kfar Saba. It partners with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry for Social Equality, and municipal authorities to implement multi-year, schoolwide turnaround programs in underperforming Jewish and Arab elementary schools across Israel. ICEI serves 60+ schools and more than 30,000 students annually, supported by a lean 8-person core team and a distributed network of on-site Literacy Coaches and Principal Mentors who work directly inside schools.

ICEI's portfolio centers on its flagship It's Elementary! Whole School Improvement Program for grades 1-6, alongside co-operated government joint ventures (Meisharim, Tamkin Joint Venture, Qalam, Gefen, Almaz) and complementary programs such as Springboard to Success (grades 1-3 early intervention), Atzmaut Plus (Ethiopian-Israeli family engagement), and the Young Writers Competition (engaging ~5,000 students per year). The underlying technology stack includes the proprietary Medida data platform for real-time student progress tracking and differentiated lesson planning, and LightSail, a Hebrew-adapted digital reading and literacy platform piloted in 10 ICEI schools.

ICEI operates as a non-profit and does not charge schools for its programs. Funding flows from Israeli government ministries (notably the Ministry of Education's 33M ILS / 5-year commitment to the Tamkin Joint Venture), philanthropic foundations (Yad Hanadiv, The Moriah Fund, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, The Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation, The Maor Foundation), and individual donors. Distribution is direct, through co-funded joint ventures with the Ministry of Education and formal partnerships with 35+ municipalities including Afula, Hadera, Ramle, Rishon LeZion, Umm el-Fahm, Lod, and Katzrin. Documented outcomes include 97% teacher satisfaction at partner schools, students placed 600+ books per classroom, literacy outcomes improving from 20% to 70% achieving required language skills, and partner schools receiving the Ministry of Education's National Education Prize (2022), the Rothschild Education Prize (2025), and the Haifa District Education Prize (2025).

Name

The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI)

Legal name

The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (עמותה - Registered Association)

Website

https://icei.co.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI) is an Israeli non-profit founded in 2009 that partners with the Ministry of Education and local municipalities to run multi-year turnaround programs in underperforming Jewish and Arab elementary schools, serving 60+ schools and 30,000+ students annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Remedial & Academic Intervention Programs (Reading/Math Recovery) (EDAJAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Literacy Intervention & Dyslexia Support Programs (Gen Ed) (EDAJAGAF), Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support) (EDAJALAD)

Keywords

• Elementary education programs
• School turnaround programs
• Literacy coaching services
• Teacher professional development
• Educational nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kfar Saba

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Partnerships and Philanthropic Funding: ICEI operates as a nonprofit organization funded through partnerships with Israel's Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Yad Hanadiv, and various philanthropic foundations and donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICEI delivers multi-year, schoolwide turnaround programs for underperforming Jewish and Arab elementary schools in Israel through on-site Literacy Coaches and Principal Mentors, research-based literacy teaching methods, and data-driven instruction via its Medida platform. Its flagship It's Elementary! program covers grades 1-6 and is complemented by specialized programs (Tamkin, Qalam, Springboard to Success, Atzmaut Plus, Gefen, Almaz) and the Hebrew-adapted LightSail digital reading platform, all funded by Israeli government ministries and philanthropic partners and offered to schools at no cost.

Product overview

ICEI offers a portfolio of educational programs centered around Whole School Improvement for underperforming Jewish and Arab elementary schools in Israel. The core flagship program is 'It's Elementary!' for grades 1-6. Additional programs include Meisharim (a Ministry-led joint venture), Tamkin Joint Venture and Qalam (focused on Arab schools), Springboard to Success (early intervention for grades 1-3), and Gefen and Almaz (Ministry of Education initiatives). ICEI also operates LightSail, a digital Hebrew-adapted reading platform, and supports Ethiopian-Israeli families through Atzmaut Plus. A key technology component is the Medida data platform for real-time student progress tracking. The annual Young Writers Competition engages approximately 5,000 students. Programs are delivered through partnerships with the Ministry of Education, municipalities, and philanthropic organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• It's Elementary!: ICEI's flagship Whole School Improvement Program for grades 1-6 in Israel
• Tamkin Joint Venture
• Meisharim
• Qalam
• Springboard to Success
• LightSail
• Atzmaut Plus
• Gefen
• Almaz
• Young Writers Competition
• Medida

Products and services

• It's Elementary! ICEI's flagship Whole School Improvement Program for grades 1-6, the most comprehensive program aimed at transforming underperforming Jewish and Arab elementary schools through on-site Literacy Coaches, Principal Mentors, and the Medida data-driven instruction platform.
• Meisharim A joint venture of the Israeli Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, and Yad Hanadiv, operated by ICEI to drive sustainable change in underperforming elementary schools serving students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Tamkin Joint Venture An initiative by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, and Yad Hanadiv bringing the Tamkin program to 15 Arab underperforming elementary schools requiring comprehensive intervention to address diglossia and literacy gaps.
• Qalam A groundbreaking ICEI program aimed at transforming Arab elementary schools in Israel, with 'Qalam' standing for leadership, language, and knowledge in Arabic.
• Springboard to Success ICEI's comprehensive lower grades intervention program for grades 1-3, focusing on basic reading and writing skills acquisition.
• LightSail (Hebrew-adapted) A powerful digital teaching and reading literacy platform adapted into Hebrew by ICEI and piloted in ICEI schools, enabling students to read books on computers and phones both at school and at home.
• Atzmaut Plus A community enrichment program offering empowering workshops, mentorship, and enrichment activities for Ethiopian-Israeli parents whose children study in ICEI schools.
• Almaz The Ministry of Education's initiative ('jewel' in Amharic) to advance Ethiopian-Israeli students and familiarity with Ethiopian-Israeli culture in elementary schools, with ICEI offering services to schools.
• Gefen A national initiative run by the Ministry of Education empowering school principals with resources to select educational services; ICEI offers services to schools through Gefen.
• Young Writers Competition ICEI's annual competition inspiring students in grades 3-6 to sharpen writing skills, discover their unique voice, and write more, engaging approximately 5,000 students, parents, and teachers across Hebrew-speaking schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% teacher satisfaction rate at partner schools like Sinai School
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ministry of Education of IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner collaborating on all ICEI programs including the flagship It's Elementary! program, Meisharim joint venture, and Tamkin Joint Venture. The Ministry provides institutional endorsement and co-funding for school transformation initiatives.
• Ministry of FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner in the Meisharim joint venture and Tamkin Joint Venture, providing funding and policy support for educational reform initiatives.
• Ministry for Social EqualitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in implementing programs that address educational inequality and support underrepresented communities.
• Yad HanadivcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of the Meisharim joint venture alongside Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance, supporting sustainable change in underperforming schools.
• LightSailsupportingTechnology or IntegrationDigital reading and literacy platform provider that ICEI has adapted into Hebrew for use in partner schools.
• CET – The Center for Educational TechnologysupportingTechnology or IntegrationInstitutional partner providing educational technology resources and support.
• Kibbutzim College of EducationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in teacher training and educational innovation.
• Sifriyat Pijama and Maktabat al-Fanoos (PJ Library Israel)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArabic and Hebrew children's book programs supporting literacy initiatives.
• Sally Awad AsfourcoreOthersDeputy Executive Director of ICEI, previously Tamkin Director, leading Arab schools initiative and municipal model development.
• 35+ Municipalities and Local CouncilscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal government partners including Afula, Hadera, Ramle, Umm el-Fahm, Katzrin, Rishon LeZion, Lod, and others who support ICEI programs in their communities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TNTP (The New Teacher Project): Education non-profit focused on teacher training, instructional leadership and school improvement partnerships with public school systems - closely aligned with ICEI's Literacy Coach and Principal Mentor delivery model.
• Instruction Partners: Non-profit that partners with school systems to improve literacy and math instruction through on-site coaching and leadership development - a near-direct functional peer to ICEI's on-site coaching model.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large US charter network operating elementary schools with data-driven instruction, extended learning time and teacher coaching - a comparable school-level transformation model to ICEI's It's Elementary! program.
• KIPP Foundation: US-based non-profit network operating K-12 charter schools serving low-income communities, with an explicit whole-school transformation model and data-driven instruction focus - directly comparable to ICEI's underperforming-school turnaround approach.
• Uncommon Schools: Non-profit charter management organization running a network of K-12 schools in underserved communities with rigorous literacy instruction - a close analogue to ICEI's schoolwide, literacy-anchored elementary turnaround work.
• Match Education: Non-profit operating schools and tutoring programs for low-income students with a strong focus on literacy and teacher development - functionally similar to ICEI's combined school improvement and supplemental instruction approach.

Regional players

• Rashi Foundation: Israeli philanthropic foundation investing in education equity and underperforming schools - a regional peer sharing ICEI's Israeli geography and mission of improving educational outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

Broad incumbents

• NewSchools Venture Fund: Venture philanthropy fund backing innovative education organizations and schools in the US - comparable as a funding-oriented peer supporting K-12 school transformation and EdTech innovation.
• Teach For All: Global network of independent partner organizations working to expand educational opportunity - a broader incumbent operating in the same K-12 educational equity space as ICEI across many geographies.

Emerging players

• City Year: Education-focused non-profit placing near-peer mentors in underperforming K-12 schools to drive attendance, behavior and course performance - an adjacent peer with overlapping on-site, school-embedded support delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ICEInnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-israel-center-for-educational-innovation-icei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI)