Global results from the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)—a triennial evaluation of 15-year-olds in math, reading, and science—were released on September 8, 2025, revealing declines in performance across most participating countries. The assessment, conducted by the OECD, tested 760,000 students from 91 countries and economies, marking the first time since 2000 that no country improved in all three subject areas.
Two key developments emerged from the latest PISA results:
- Mexico’s performance dropped to its lowest recorded levels, with 64% of 15-year-olds failing to meet basic proficiency in at least one subject and the country ranking 64th out of 91 in overall performance. This represents a 13-place decline since 2022 and a fifth consecutive drop in reading since 2009.
- Israel experienced its worst-ever PISA scores, falling six to eight places in math, reading, and science compared to 2022, with officials calling the results a “catastrophic event on a historic scale.”
Part 1: Immediate Findings and Rankings
The 2025 PISA results show that Singapore, China, Japan, and South Korea maintained their positions as the top-performing education systems, with Singapore leading in reading (535 points) and China (including four provinces) leading in math (612 points). The United States ranked above the OECD average in reading and science but below average in math, while Australia saw its worst-ever scores in math and reading despite remaining above the OECD average in all subjects.
Mexico’s results were particularly stark:
- 388 points in math (vs. OECD average of 463)
- 408 points in reading (vs. OECD average of 461)
- 414 points in science (vs. OECD average of 482)
- 41.8% of students scored below basic proficiency in all three subjects, more than double the OECD average of 19.7%.
Israel’s decline was equally pronounced:
- Ranked 43rd in math among OECD countries, with only Albania below it.
- Ranked 37th in reading, with 12 countries below the developed-world average outperforming it.
- Science scores dropped eight places, placing Israel 44th globally.
Part 2: Broader Trends and Country-Specific Responses
Global Decline in Performance
The OECD reported a “dramatic drop” in reading skills worldwide, with 20 points on the PISA scale equivalent to one year of lost learning. While science scores showed slight improvements in some countries, math and reading continued long-term declines in nearly all regions. Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director of Education and Skills, noted that 80% of Mexican students expressed curiosity about learning, a figure 7% above the global average, suggesting that motivation alone is not sufficient to counter systemic challenges.
Country-Specific Reactions
- United States: Education Secretary Linda McMahon called for a “major overhaul” of public education, emphasizing school choice as a solution. She stated that the results confirmed a “decade of stagnation”, with low-performing students falling further behind despite high achievers maintaining performance.
- Australia: While science scores stabilized, math and reading continued declines, with experts noting that students today are nearly two years behind their 2000 levels in reading. Jonas Berling of ACER described the trend as a “long-term decline” but acknowledged that Australia remains above the OECD average.
- Mexico: Despite the poor results, 89% of students disagreed with the statement that “school is a waste of time”, a figure 13% better than the OECD average. Analysts suggested that Mexico’s expansion of secondary education may have diluted overall performance by including students from more diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Policy Implications and Criticisms
Several countries tied the results to education system reforms:
- Israel’s Education Ministry described the scores as a “wake-up call”, with calls for increased funding and curriculum changes.
- U.S. critics argued that federal bureaucracy and lack of innovation were to blame, while supporters of public education pointed to funding disparities and teacher shortages.
- Mexican officials have not yet issued a formal response, though analysts cite workforce training costs as a potential economic consequence of poor student performance.
Part 3: Long-Term Concerns and Unanswered Questions
The 2025 PISA results raise broader questions about global education equity, economic competitiveness, and the effectiveness of pandemic recovery efforts. While some countries (e.g., Estonia, Japan) maintained strong performance, others—including Mexico, Israel, and Australia—face urgent challenges in reversing declines.
Key unanswered questions include:
- Whether short-term interventions (e.g., tutoring programs) can reverse long-term trends.
- How socioeconomic factors (e.g., poverty, classroom discipline) interact with systemic education policies.
- Whether PISA’s methodology adequately captures non-cognitive skills (e.g., creativity, adaptability) that may be critical for future workforces.
The OECD has not yet released a full comparative ranking of all 91 countries, leaving some nations’ exact positions unconfirmed. However, the trend of declining performance appears universal, with no region immune to the broader downturn.