International Student Assessment Report Shows Decline in Educational Scores

<figure> <img alt="A student sits at a desk in front of a whiteboard, with her head leaning on one hand." src="https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/gettyimages-2281060954.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> A student takes the French general baccalaureate exam on June 15, 2026. | Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>This story appeared in&nbsp;Today, Explained,&nbsp;a daily newsletter that helps you understand the most compelling news and stories of the day.</em><br /></p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A report from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), administered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), indicates that scores in math, reading, and science among 15-year-olds have declined to their lowest levels since testing began in the early 2000s. The report highlights concerns from teachers, parents, and education experts regarding American students' reading abilities.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The report reveals that reading scores fell sharply, equivalent to more than a year of education, from 2015 to 2025. In the United States, reading scores decreased by approximately 14 percentage points between 2022 and 2025.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The findings are based on a sample of over 760,000 students from 91 countries, making them significant educational metrics. The report suggests various factors contributing to the decline, including the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges related to attention spans that affect students' ability to engage with long texts.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the first time, PISA also surveyed students about their use of generative AI in education. The results showed that 86 percent of students reported using AI at least occasionally, with about 10 percent using it daily. However, the impact of AI on learning outcomes appears to vary based on how students utilize the technology. A small group of students who do not use AI generally outperformed those who do, while those who used AI to assist their learning performed similarly to non-users. Frequent AI users who received instruction on AI literacy scored slightly higher.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The report indicates that the effectiveness of AI in education is nuanced, with some applications potentially beneficial, such as tools that assist teachers and educational chatbots for personalized tutoring. However, policy discussions around AI in education are complicated, particularly in light of a new one-year moratorium on generative AI tools in New York City's public elementary and middle schools, aimed at evaluating which tools genuinely aid student learning.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels stated that the pause would allow for an assessment of effective tools and use cases in education. This evaluation is a critical task for educators and policymakers globally.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Additional Information</h2> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>&nbsp;Considerations on Digital Dependence:</strong> An increasing number of daily tasks now require smartphones, which can create barriers for elderly and low-income individuals. Public policy and consumer resistance may be necessary to address these issues.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trivia and Cultural Insights</h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong>Did you know…</strong> that most of America’s walkable urban neighborhoods were established before World War II? This limits options for living in both new housing and walkable areas until denser urban housing is developed.</li> <li><strong>Today’s trivia:</strong> In Greek and Roman mythology, who was the legendary founder and first queen of Carthage?</li> <li><strong>Yesterday’s trivia:</strong> The archipelago that includes the Isle of Skye is the Inner Hebrides, located off the coast of Scotland.</li> </ul>