US Student Reading Scores Drop to Near 25-Year Low in Global Assessment

Reading proficiency among 15-year-old students in the United States has plummeted to its lowest level in approximately 25 years, according to data released Tuesday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The findings, part of the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), highlight a significant setback in American educational achievement.

The OECD report indicates that US reading scores decreased by 14 points compared to the previous assessment in 2022. This decline mirrors a broader global pattern, with the OECD average across 23 participating nations falling by 16 points. However, US educators and analysts point out that America’s performance gap is notably wider than that of other countries.

According to the data, 25.7 percent of American students were classified as low performers in reading, while only 13.3 percent achieved top-tier status. Michael Kieffer, a literacy education professor at New York University, emphasized the severity of the disparity. “Looking across all 90 participating countries, there was not a single country with significantly wider inequality in reading scores than the US,” Kieffer told Al Jazeera. “What is clear is that we are under-serving many students.”

These results emerge as the administration of President Donald Trump pursues substantial restructuring of the federal education system. In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the dissolution of the Department of Education. Although the department does not dictate local curricula or academic standards—a role held by state and municipal authorities—it oversees student achievement tracking, distributes federal funding, and enforces civil rights regulations in schools.

Trump has cited the declining test scores as justification for closing the agency, criticizing what he terms an “entrenched bureaucracy” and advocating for the transfer of responsibilities back to the states. In a statement, McMahon echoed these sentiments, describing the federal system as a “one-size-fits-all” model that has “shortchanged our children and stifled our future.”

The White House argues that federal investment has not yielded corresponding academic gains, noting that the Department of Education has expended over $3 trillion since its establishment in 1979. McMahon described the current situation as a “stress test for our nation’s future,” calling for a “hard reset” that empowers state leaders and promotes innovative learning through expanded school choice.

School choice, a priority for US conservatives, involves directing public funds toward alternative educational settings such as charter schools, homeschooling, and private institutions. While supporters frame it as educational freedom, critics contend it undermines public education by funneling resources to less regulated entities with minimal oversight.

Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has accelerated policies supporting this model. Last year, the Education Department allocated $500 million to its Charter School Program, described as the initiative’s largest investment to date. Additionally, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, established the first federal tax credit for donations to organizations providing scholarships for primary and secondary students, including private tuition and tutoring.

Despite these moves, experts urge increased comprehensive investment to address the root causes of poor performance. OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann stressed the urgency of the situation, stating, “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.”