Global Reading Scores Plunge in 2025 PISA Results
The Facts
- The OECD released its 2025 Program for International Student Assessment results on Tuesday, based on tests taken by about 760,000 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies, representing roughly 33 million students in the age group.
- Reading recorded the steepest decline of the three core subjects, with average scores across OECD members falling 28 points between 2015 and 2025 and 16 points elsewhere. Math scores dropped 22 points across the OECD and eight points elsewhere.
- The OECD said the share of "hasty readers" — students who rush through texts and answer quickly but incorrectly — nearly doubled between 2018 and 2025, rising from about 7% to 11%.
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The Spin
Narrative A
Screens and AI chatbots wrecked reading by turning 15-year-olds into hasty, inaccurate scanners instead of careful thinkers. Dumping AI writing tools into homework destroys the ability to evaluate evidence and hold attention through complex texts. This literacy collapse will drag down future workers and entire economies unless classrooms put effort and deep reading back ahead of gadgets.
Narrative B
Teacher shortages and starved public budgets hollowed out classrooms and sent reading off a cliff. Peddling AI as a classroom savior just lets kids farm out thinking to a bot while trained teachers are missing from classrooms. Well-trained teachers in small classes with real support will make literacy climb again.
Metaculus Prediction
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