As part of a legal proceeding held in the Supreme Court, the Ministries of Education, Welfare, and Finance announced they would expand the framework allowing for additional, flexible transport at the end of the school day to include students with physical disabilities attending special education frameworks. This announcement was submitted in response to a petition filed last June by the ILAN Association, the Beit Issie Shapiro organization, and the Coalition of Parents of Children with Special Needs, represented by attorneys Saar Pauker, Sapir Dolinger, and Janet Fahima of the Herzog, Fox & Neeman law firm.
The petition argued that the legal and operational status quo created unlawful discrimination. According to the claims, certain groups of special education students, such as those with developmental intellectual disabilities or complex behavioral issues, enjoyed flexible transport arrangements, while students with motor disabilities were excluded. Consequently, the petitioners argued, children with physical disabilities were effectively denied the ability to participate in after-school programs, such as clubs and daycare centers, as attendance depends on the ability to return home via accessible and adapted transportation.
Representatives of the organizations described the state's announcement as a step toward rectifying a historical injustice, allowing children to realize their right to social integration in the community after school hours. Attorney Dikla Sity Meir from the ILAN Association noted that this is a significant achievement in a multi-year struggle, adding that the association will closely monitor the practical implementation of the decision. Similarly, Attorney Valerie Zilka of Beit Issie Shapiro welcomed the decision, noting that it constitutes an important component in realizing the right to education and community life.
Despite satisfaction with this achievement, the petitioners clarified that the struggle is not over. Attorney Revital Lan Cohen from the Parent Coalition pointed out that the current framework does not address all children with disabilities, particularly those integrated into regular education. According to her, the state has refused for years to resolve the issue without judicial intervention, and the organizations will now work to expand eligibility to include students who do not attend special education institutions but wish to participate in social activities in municipal daycare programs.