US Reading Scores Plummet to Lowest Point in a Quarter-Century Amid Global Decline

Students interact in a fourth-grade classroom at William Jefferson Clinton Elementary in Compton, California, on February 6, 2025. Reading scores among 15-year-olds in the United States have fallen to their lowest level in roughly 25 years, according to a recent international education assessment.

On Tuesday, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published findings from the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), serving as a global metric for educational achievement. The data revealed that US reading scores dropped 14 points compared to 2022, when PISA results were last issued. This reduction reflects a broader international pattern, with the OECD average across 23 countries similarly decreasing by 16 points. Nonetheless, the US stood out regarding the magnitude of its performance gap.

Approximately 25.7 percent of US students were categorized as low performers in reading, whereas 13.3 percent were identified as top performers. Michael Kieffer, a professor of literacy education at New York University, told Al Jazeera that across all 90 participating nations, not a single country exhibited a significantly wider inequality in reading scores than the US, adding that many students are clearly being underserved.

The release of these PISA results coincides with efforts by the administration of US President Donald Trump to alter the federal government's role in education. In March 2025, President Trump issued an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the dismantling of the Department of Education, the federal agency responsible for tracking student achievement, distributing federal education funds, and enforcing civil rights in schools. While the Education Department does not dictate school curriculums or academic standards—traditional responsibilities of state and local authorities—President Trump cited the slipping test scores to justify closing the agency, criticizing its entrenched bureaucracy and advocating for the decentralization of its duties to the states.

In a statement sent to Al Jazeera on Tuesday, Linda McMahon echoed the administration's stance, arguing that the federal education bureaucracy has failed children and limited the nation's future. The White House contends that federal education spending, which has exceeded $3 trillion since the department's inception in 1979, is excessive and has failed to improve standardized test scores. Stressing the need for a hard reset, Linda McMahon advocated for a system that empowers state leaders and supports innovative learning choices through school choice.

The concept of school choice has long been central for US conservatives, involving the redirection of public funds to help parents finance alternative education options such as charter schools, homeschooling, or private institutions. Although controversial and criticized for potentially weakening public education with minimal oversight, President Trump has embraced school choice as educational freedom since returning to office in 2025. The Education Department previously announced a record $500m for its Charter School Program to help states expand charter networks. Furthermore, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in July 2025 as President Trump's signature legislation, introduced the first federal tax credit for donations funding primary and secondary school scholarships, including private-school tuition and tutoring. President Trump also hosted a school choice event at the White House last month to mark the new school year.

Conversely, critics emphasize the necessity of increased investment across the board to address diminishing test scores. OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann stated that reversing student performance declines is urgent, noting that successful education systems prioritize fewer areas deeply, invest in teachers, engage parents, and offer targeted support to the students and schools requiring it the most.