Overt and hidden dropout in middle schools and high schools of the State-Religious education system is a complex challenge. Research shows that most dropout occurs between grades 9 and 11, which underscores the importance of early identification and prevention as early as middle school (around ages 13–14). Hidden dropout is expressed in emotional, social and academic disengagement from school, and puts girls at increased risk of psychological distress, adjustment difficulties, risk behaviors and a move to informal settings without professional support.

Merhavia is a program designed to address this challenge through a system-wide intervention within the ulpana, along with individual, group and community-based responses tailored to the unique characteristics of Mamad schools.

In the ulpanot that join through this call, the program works on three levels:

• 1The school systemEmbedding a shared language and tools among the teaching staff and management for preventing and addressing hidden dropout or risk of dropout. This includes:
  • Systematic mapping of all the girls in the school, using a dedicated tool, to locate and identify girls in hidden dropout or at risk of dropout.
  • Training educational staff to locate and identify girls in hidden dropout or at risk of dropout, and providing tools to support and include these young people within the school.
• 2The individual studentsMapping students in hidden dropout or at risk of dropout, and providing academic, social and emotional support in groups within the school. About 25–30 girls will be identified, and for them:
  • Building and monitoring a personal plan for girls identified in the mapping as needing intervention.
  • Group programs within the school for students identified as needing them. The groups will be small (6–10 girls each) and include series of 12–16 sessions. The programs offered include:
    • Topic-based emotional therapy groups, for example: fears and anxiety, substance use, violence and social exclusion, through conversation or a variety of tools from the worlds of animals, art and creativity, such as therapeutic art, phototherapy and dog training.
    • Social therapy groups for developing social skills.
• 3The communityReferral to individual services and treatment in the community, such as enrichment activities and emotional therapy. In addition, guidance for parents of students in hidden dropout or at risk of dropout, to help them support their daughters. This includes:
  • Referral by the youth-at-risk officer to enrichment activities that develop the girl's skills and strengths (growth through strengths).
  • Individual guidance for parents of girls identified in hidden dropout or at risk of dropout, to help them support their daughter: up to 10 sessions per family. Where needed, and with the parents' cooperation, a parents' group led by a therapist will be set up in the school as a support group for them.

Ulpanot that join the program will receive a comprehensive professional and budgetary support package, including:

• Mapping toolA dedicated tool for systematically mapping all students in the school, to identify students in hidden dropout.
• Staff trainingTraining and guidance programs for educational staff on handling risk situations and supporting the girls.
• Group programs in the schoolSmall therapeutic-emotional and social groups (6–10 girls per group, 12–16 sessions) in a range of areas (such as phototherapy, art therapy, dog training and social skills).
• Community support and parent guidanceIndividual guidance for parents (up to 10 sessions per family) and a guided support group for parents in the school.

Participation is conditional on meeting the following criteria and a willingness to commit to the process:

• School profileA six-year (grades 7–12) or four-year (grades 9–12) ulpana, medium to large in size (at least 2 classes per grade).
• Diverse student bodyA school that accepts a diverse student population.
• Contact personThe school will appoint a contact person to coordinate the work in the school and with the partners (the State-Religious Education Administration / Children and Youth at Risk Division, The Israeli Social Platform).
• ManagementThe school will appoint an internal steering committee for the program, including the principal, the school counselor and the contact person, to make decisions on running the program.
• Systematic mappingA management commitment to carry out comprehensive mapping of the school's students using the dedicated tool.
• Time for trainingManagement's willingness to allocate staff time for professional training for all teachers and management, and to dedicate the school's in-service training in the 2026–27 school year to topics related to dropout prevention.
• A culture of inclusion and long-term commitmentA declared willingness to include girls in hidden dropout or at risk, and to embed the program's principles in the school over time.
• Active partnershipFull cooperation of the school with the program team and the professional committees.

• Application deadlineTuesday, November 10, 2026.
• Program response on selected schoolsBy Thursday, November 19, 2026.
• Signing a memorandum of understanding and launching the program in the schoolsBy Thursday, December 3, 2026.