Families’ engagement with their children’s education is declining across many high-income countries, coinciding with a notable drop in student performance on a global standardized test administered last year, according to newly released data. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), surveyed over 760,000 15-year-olds in dozens of countries, revealing that average scores in math, reading, and science have reached their lowest levels within developed economies since the test’s inception.
Among the top performers were China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, while Estonia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand also posted strong results. The United States experienced continued declines in math and reading scores, with its performance slipping to the lowest recorded levels since PISA began in the early 2000s. Despite this, the U.S. still ranked within the top 15 globally in science, reading, and a newly introduced category—computational problem-solving—although experts noted this ranking was partially attributable to declines in other countries.
A key factor behind falling scores may lie in reduced family involvement. Compared to 2022, the survey indicated a decrease in parental interest and support for children’s learning activities, particularly for boys. Parents were more likely to view themselves as consumers of education rather than participants, according to Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills. The data showed students who reported that a family member asked about their schoolwork at least once a week scored, on average, 35 points higher in science—equivalent to about a year and a half of extra learning—after adjusting for socioeconomic differences.
Digital distractions also contributed to poorer outcomes. More than 25% of students in affluent countries said their classmates were frequently distracted by digital devices during science classes. Countries with stricter regulations on cellphone use in schools reported lower levels of distraction. Schleicher highlighted that while technology use for learning is linked to higher achievement when limited to around two to three hours daily, excessive use correlates with lower scores.
Many Asian countries exemplify effective technology integration and strong educational outcomes. Less than 10% of students in Japan, South Korea, and mainland China reported digital distraction, while these regions ranked among the highest globally in math, science, and reading. Nearly all tested students in Chinese provinces scored at or above baseline proficiency in math and reading, compared to 65% and 74% respectively in the United States.
The dominance of Chinese students in these assessments has raised concerns regarding potential geopolitical and technological implications. Tracey Burns, chief of global strategy and research at the National Center for Education and the Economy, emphasized that success in science, technology, and literacy is critical to maintaining competitiveness in the global technological landscape.
The report also examined the role of artificial intelligence in education. Students who reported no use of AI chatbots performed better than those who used them regularly, with nearly half of students in developed countries using AI tools weekly for learning. Schleicher credited countries like China, Japan, Singapore, and Estonia for successfully integrating AI in classrooms while avoiding overreliance. He noted that in many Asian countries, teachers play a more active role in developing AI learning tools compared to the United States, where teachers primarily implement pre-designed lessons.
Researchers cautioned that the U.S. results should be interpreted carefully, as the country did not meet OECD standards for sample size and representation in this round of testing. Nonetheless, the findings highlight growing challenges in sustaining student achievement and parental engagement across many advanced education systems worldwide.