Global academic performance among 15-year-olds has reached its lowest point in history across high-income countries, according to the latest results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The study, which tested over 760,000 teenagers worldwide, also revealed a significant decline in family engagement with students' education.
Average scores in mathematics, reading, and science have fallen for highly developed economies, including continued declines in the U.S. for reading and math. Top-scoring nations included China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, with Estonia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand also performing well.
Researchers suggest a key factor behind the widespread score decline is a drop in parental support and interest in education, particularly for boys. Surveys indicate that compared to previous PISA assessments, families in almost every participating country reported less involvement, such as discussing schoolwork with their children or showing interest in their learning.
Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which administers the PISA test, noted a shift in parental perception. "Parents see themselves more as a client of the school, not as someone who takes personal interest," Schleicher stated. The study found that students whose families inquired about their school day at least weekly scored significantly higher on the PISA science test, with the advantage equivalent to over a year and a half of learning, even after accounting for socioeconomic differences.
Digital distraction emerged as another concern. More than a quarter of students in high-income countries reported that classmates were distracted by digital devices in most or all science classes. Countries with stricter cellphone policies in schools showed lower distraction rates. Schleicher observed a strong correlation between leisure use of digital devices and lower test scores, though the impact of technology used for learning was more nuanced. Scores improved when students used digital devices for two to three hours daily in school, but declined when usage exceeded this threshold.
Asian nations demonstrated success in integrating technology for educational benefit. In Japan, South Korea, and mainland China, fewer than 10% of students reported digital distraction in classrooms. These countries also ranked among the top 10 globally for math, science, and reading. In contrast, only 65% of U.S. students met baseline proficiency in math and 74% in reading, compared to nearly 100% in the tested Chinese provinces.
Experts have voiced concerns over the political implications of China's educational advancements relative to the U.S. Tracey Burns, chief of global strategy and research at the National Center for Education and the Economy, commented on the need for scientific and technological capabilities to maintain a competitive edge.
While U.S. students' math scores matched the OECD average and science and reading placed them in the top 15 countries worldwide, these rankings were influenced by other nations' declines. U.S. teens' reading and math scores have fallen to their lowest levels since the PISA test began in the early 2000s. Researchers cautioned that the U.S. did not meet the participation standards for sample size, potentially affecting the reliability of its results.
The report also highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) usage. Higher use of AI chatbots was generally associated with lower test scores, with students who reported never using them performing better. Nearly half of students in developed economies use AI chatbots weekly for learning. Schleicher pointed to countries like China, Japan, Singapore, and Estonia as examples of successful AI integration in education, where teachers play a leading role in designing AI systems for classrooms. He contrasted this with the U.S., where teachers primarily implement lessons. An example from China illustrated how AI was used to analyze calligraphy practice among elementary students, demonstrating a blend of traditional methods with advanced technology.