Global test scores among 15-year-old students have fallen to their lowest point in two decades, according to the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The exam, which tested 760,000 students across 91 countries, showed significant declines in reading and mathematics.
Average scores across all three PISA categories—reading, mathematics, and science—experienced a decline. Mathematics scores have seen a downward trend since 2006, dropping 32 points over that period, while reading scores have fallen 34 points since 2000. Science scores also decreased by 17 points since 2006. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which administers the PISA test, noted that the drop in reading scores is particularly concerning as it often correlates with problem-solving abilities in other academic areas. Current reading scores indicate many students are performing at a level roughly a full school year behind previous cohorts.
Digital Engagement and Academic Performance
The OECD data suggests a link between increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media and lower test performance. Students who regularly used AI performed worse on tests than those who did not, with scores dropping approximately 30 points for regular users compared to those who rarely used AI. Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills, commented that while AI can provide immediate results, it may not enhance long-term learning, as true learning requires effort.
Similarly, excessive social media use showed alarming trends. Students who used social media frequently at school scored about 44 points lower in mathematics than their peers who used it minimally. The report hypothesizes that the rapid processing of information from social media feeds might be contributing to a decline in students' ability and motivation to engage with complex texts and data.
US Performance in Global Context
While the United States followed global trends in overall decline, its reading scores remained 24 points above the worldwide average. The U.S. did, however, show improvement in science scores, with a 3-point increase from 2022 and a 13-point rise since 2000. In mathematics, the U.S. performed 6 points below the global average and has declined 24 points since its 2009 high.
The U.S. did not rank in the top 10 in any of the three categories, placing 27th in math, 13th in science, and 13th in reading. Asian countries, including China, Singapore, and Japan, dominated the top rankings across all assessed subjects.
