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U.S. PISA Reading Scores Drop 14 Points in 2025

9/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The United States recorded a 14-point decline in reading scores on the 2025 PISA exam.
Reading proficiency fell to 74 % of U.S. 15-year-olds, below the 69 % OECD average.
About half of students used AI weekly, and AI use correlated negatively with reading scores.
Acting commissioner Matthew Soldner said the results will likely trigger new reading-policy action.

History

Historical Context

President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, requiring annual state tests and Title I aid to narrow gaps. A 2006 Department of Education report noted modest NAEP gains, and researchers later identified a 0.67-year rise in fourth-grade math but no reading improvement. When the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act replaced NCLB, concerns about testing-driven literacy decline resurfaced.

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Story summary

The United States recorded a 14-point decline in reading scores on the 2025 PISA exam.
Reading proficiency fell to 74 % of U.S. 15-year-olds, below the 69 % OECD average.
About half of students used AI weekly, and AI use correlated negatively with reading scores.
Acting commissioner Matthew Soldner said the results will likely trigger new reading-policy action.

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