US reading scores hit near-25-year low in latest global assessment

September 9, 2026 - 02:28

American 15-year-olds posted their weakest reading results in nearly a quarter century on a major international exam, according to data released this week. The latest Program for International Student Assessment, known as PISA, showed the average U.S. reading score fell by 14 points compared to the 2022 round, landing at its lowest level since the test began tracking such trends in 2000.

The decline puts the United States further behind several peer nations, including Japan, South Korea, and Estonia, while also trailing the average for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Math scores also dipped slightly, though the reading drop drew the most attention because it marks a clear reversal after modest gains seen in the late 2010s.

Education experts point to a mix of factors, including pandemic-related learning disruptions, rising student absenteeism, and the growing influence of smartphones and social media on sustained reading habits. Some also note that the test was taken in 2024, before many schools fully recovered from COVID-era closures, and that chronic teacher shortages in low-income districts continue to widen gaps.

The results arrive as the Trump administration pushes its "school choice" agenda, which would expand taxpayer funding for private and charter schools. Supporters argue that competition will force public schools to improve, while critics say the policy risks draining resources from already struggling public systems. The administration has not yet proposed a specific federal plan tied to PISA scores, but officials have cited international rankings in past speeches as evidence that the current system is failing.

For now, the data offers a sobering snapshot. U.S. students scored about 17 points below the OECD average in reading, a gap that has grown since 2018. Reading proficiency among the lowest-performing students fell even more sharply, suggesting that the weakest readers are falling further behind their peers in other wealthy countries.