Families’ interest in their kids’ education is falling around the globe as scores drop, test shows

Many families across high-income countries are showing less interest in their children's education, according to new results from a global standardized test. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), taken by nearly 760,000 15-year-olds in dozens of countries, revealed that average scores in math, reading and science are at their lowest levels ever among developed economies.

This decline is particularly pronounced for boys, with families' support for their kids' education dropping significantly compared to 2022 results. Experts attribute the falling scores to a combination of factors, including parents viewing themselves as clients of the school rather than personal supporters, digital distractions in the classroom, and the overuse of artificial intelligence tools.

Despite these challenges, countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and China—where fewer than 10% of students report digital distraction in school—have maintained strong educational performance, particularly in math and reading.