Reading scores slide amid worries that AI is shortcutting learning

Reading scores slide amid worries that AI is shortcutting learning

by CORY SMITH | The National News Desk

(TNND) — A new report shows declining student performance in reading and math, highlighting digital distractions and the rise of artificial intelligence as areas of concern.

The report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development showed that reading performance for American 15-year-olds hit a 25-year low, though kids in the U.S. still outperformed the OECD average.

Globally, average reading scores fell by 28 points over the last decade.

In the U.S., the decline from 2015 to 2025 was just seven points.

But career educator Yvette Renteria still found the trend “extremely disappointing.”

“And we must do better here, especially since we have so many tools and resources at hand to figure out how to serve every student,” said Renteria, the chief program officer at Common Sense Media.

Renteria – a former teacher, principal and district administrator – said educators need to get “underneath the hood” to figure out how to fix the problem.

OECD tested and surveyed over 4,500 U.S. students from 144 schools for the assessment of 15-year-olds across about 90 countries and economies.

Around three-quarters of American teens scored well enough on the reading tests that they could identify the main idea from a moderately long section of text, find information using sometimes complex instructions, and reflect on a text’s purpose and form when prompted.

The OECD administers its tests every three years. Average results for American kids this time were about the same as they were in 2022 for math and science and lower than they were last time for reading.

Americans performed better than the OECD average in both reading and science and slightly below average in math.

OECD said nearly half of students in its member countries use AI chatbots weekly or more to help them learn.

And it cautioned against allowing technology to become a distraction in the classroom or a crutch for students’ learning.

Students who say they did not use AI to draft text for writing assignments outperformed those who say they did, according to OECD.

But OECD officials also said “patterns are complex” when it comes to deciphering how AI impacts learning.

Andreas Schleicher, the director for education and skills at the OECD, wrote in the report that much depends on how AI is used by students.

He said learning comes from a “cognitive struggle” that can get lost in the use of AI to complete schoolwork.

“It absolutely shortcuts the learning process,” Renteria said of AI.

Her organization, Common Sense Media, recently published a report that found most teens use AI for schoolwork, both in ways that could be beneficial and in ways that could offload critical thinking.

That survey, part of Common Sense Media's new Youth AI Safety Institute, found that 70% use AI for schoolwork, while 63% of those kids use AI to get answers.

Some kids are using AI to help them brainstorm or to check an answer they came up with on their own for accuracy.

But Common Sense Media found some students make AI their first stop when they’re stuck on their schoolwork.

And around 40% of students surveyed by Common Sense Media said they feel like they’re missing out on learning when they use AI to complete assignments and that they come up with fewer ideas on their own when AI is available.

Other surveys, including those from Gallup, point to a lack of formal guidance for teachers on how they should use AI in the classroom.

Renteria said she sees a direct connection between declining reading scores and the rising use of AI in schools.

“I don't think it's the only factor, but I think it's a very big factor,” she said.

Renteria said she regularly hears concerns from educators over students’ focus and critical thinking skills, both areas that she said could be undercut by the use of AI and digital devices in the classroom.

Technology can support learning, including for students with diverse needs, but schools need to ensure the tools are safe and educational, she said.

Renteria said critical thinking, curiosity and human connection must remain central to the learning process.

She said kids “have one digital life,” and parents play a key role in ensuring that AI and other forms of technology support learning not only at school, but at home as well.