Are you smarter than a 15-year-old? Try these OECD Pisa tests
Student performance in reading and mathematics has declined sharply across the OECD, according to PISA 2025 results. In the United States, teen reading scores have dropped to their lowest level in nearly 25 years. This downward trend is accompanied by a global decrease in family interest in children's education. Analysts describe the plummeting scores as a slow-moving catastrophe, while some reports suggest the current educational environment is setting a generation up for failure.
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- ✓ Reading and mathematics performance declined sharply across the OECD in PISA 2025.
- ✓ US teen reading scores have fallen to their lowest level in nearly 25 years.
- ✓ Family interest in children's education is falling globally as test scores drop.
What changed
The OECD released PISA 2025 results showing a sharp decline in reading and mathematics performance across member nations.
Live updates
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OECD PISA 2025 Data Shows Sharp Decline in Global Student Performance
Student performance in reading and mathematics has declined sharply across the OECD, according to PISA 2025 results. In the United States, teen reading scores have dropped to their lowest level in nearly 25 years. This downward trend is accompanied by a global decrease in family interest in children's education. Analysts describe the plummeting scores as a slow-moving catastrophe, while some reports suggest the current educational environment is setting a generation up for failure.
Why it matters
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) monitors the academic progress of 15-year-olds globally. These cycles track trends in core competencies to evaluate educational health. The 2025 data follows a series of cycles dating back to 2018.
What is confirmed
- Reading and mathematics performance declined sharply across the OECD in PISA 2025.
- US teen reading scores have fallen to their lowest level in nearly 25 years.
- Family interest in children's education is falling globally as test scores drop.
Still unconfirmed
- Plunging test scores represent a slow-moving catastrophe.
- Current conditions are setting up a generation to fail at school.
What to watch next
- Analysis of specific causes for the decline in family engagement
- Policy responses from OECD member nations to address the score drop
- Detailed breakdown of mathematics score declines by region
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (11)
- The New York Times — U.S. Reading Scores Plummet on Global Exam
- The Economist — Are teenagers growing dimmer?
- oecd.org — PISA 2025: Students’ reading and mathematics performance declined sharply across the OECD
- AP News — Families' interest in their kids' education is falling around the globe as scores drop, test shows
- The Economist — Plunging test scores are a slow-moving catastrophe
- Euronews.com — Are you smarter than a 15-year-old? Try these OECD Pisa tests
- Financial Times — We are setting up a generation to fail at school
- oecd.org — Trends in reading scores over three PISA cycles (2018-2025): PISA 2025 Results (Volume I)
- KSL.com — US teen reading scores fall to lowest level in nearly 25 years
- Deseret News — Opinion: Americans need to reverse dismal academic scores
- ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos — US students' reading scores take a dive, new data shows
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