Full Breakdown
Global PISA 2025 reveals sharp drops in reading and maths while a few nations buck the trend
9/9/2026, 12:18:31 AM
Core findings (September 8 2026)
The OECD released the 2025 PISA results on September 8 2026. Testing 15-year-olds in 91 economies showed the steepest worldwide declines in reading (-28 points for OECD members) and mathematics (-22 points), while science scores fell modestly (-7 points). The new “learning in the digital world” domain saw many countries above the OECD average.
Background & context
PISA, run every three years since 2000, measures the ability to apply knowledge in real-life tasks. The 2025 cycle added assessment of digital-tool use and AI.
Data & statistics
- Global: OECD reading scores fell 28 points (? 1½ years of learning) and maths 22 points (? 1 year).
- Australia: Science 509, reading 491, maths 478 (all above OECD averages).
- United States: Reading 490 (-14), maths 463 (-2), science 502 (+2).
- Israel: Reading 436 (-38), maths 433 (-25), science 442 (-23).
- Turkey: Reading 472 (+16), maths 462 (+9), science 494 (+18).
- Denmark: Reading 460 (-29), maths 471 (-19), science 478 (-16).
- Spain: Reading 451 (-23), maths 457 (-6), science 477 (-8).
- Finland: Reading 474 (-16), maths ? 22nd-23rd rank, science 504 (-7).
Official statements & responses
- Turkey: Education minister Yusuf Tekin credited a higher budget share, expanded school capacity and the FATIH digital-learning project for the gains.
- Denmark: Education minister Magnus Heunicke called the figures a “serious education crisis” and pledged extra investment.
Criticism & opposition
- Australia: Independent-school advocate Blaise Joseph (Centre for Independent Studies) warned that “we also have fewer high performers and more low performers across all three subjects.”
Verbatim quotes
- “Our kids are going in the wrong direction on the skills that are absolutely essential for their — and our — success. Period.” — Margaret Spellings, former U.S. education secretary
- “There’s an ongoing global decline, and it seems like the pandemic has a long, long tail.” — Tracey Burns
- “The most successful education systems focus on fewer areas in greater depth, invest in teachers, engage parents and provide targeted support for the students and schools that need it the most.” — OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann
Conflicting reports & gaps
The U.S.
Why it matters
The erosion of reading and maths proficiency threatens labour-market readiness and civic participation. Policymakers are urged to balance digital integration with attention-building strategies, address socioeconomic gaps and strengthen teacher capacity to reverse the trend.
