Based
on recent OECD PISA data, the U.S.
education system in 2026 generally ranks above average in reading and
science but below average in mathematics compared to other developed
nations. While U.S. students often underperform in math compared to peers in
Asia and Europe, they remain competitive in science and reading, ranking around
13th overall in recent assessments, behind leaders like Singapore.
Key 2026 Educational Performance Metrics:
Mathematics: U.S. 15-year-olds rank below the OECD average, with a significant decline in scores in recent assessments.
Science & Reading: U.S. students perform above the international average, showing stability in these subjects.
Global Ranking: The U.S. often ranks in the middle of the pack (around 13th to 22nd) among industrialized nations, trailing countries like Singapore, Japan, and Canada.
Attainment: The U.S. ranks highly in the percentage of adults with a high school education (92%) and 10th in the percentage of adults with college degrees.
While the U.S. shows strengths in certain areas, particularly in high-performing students, there is a large gap between the highest and lowest performers, placing the country behind top educational leaders in global assessments.
In 2026, the US continues to demonstrate a "split" performance in education: it remains the global leader in higher education, but its K-12 results show significant subject-based disparities compared to other nations.
K-12
Performance (Based on PISA Data)
The most recent PISA scores show that U.S. 15-year-olds perform well in reading and science but continue to struggle in mathematics.
Reading: The U.S. ranks 9th globally (6th among OECD countries) with a score of 504, well above the OECD average of 476.
Science: The U.S. ranks 16th globally (10th-13th among OECD countries) with a score of 499, which is 14 points above the OECD average.
Mathematics: This remains a weak area, with the U.S. ranking 34th globally (28th among OECD countries). Its score of 465 is below the OECD average of 472.
Equity Gap: A major concern in 2026 reports is the high level of educational inequality; the gap between the top 10% and bottom 10% of U.S. performers is wider than in most other participating nations.
Higher
Education Ranking
In contrast to K-12, the U.S. higher education system is ranked #1 in the world for 2026.
University Dominance: According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, the U.S. holds the most spots in the global top 100.
Top Institutions: Harvard University and MIT consistently rank as the top two global universities across major indices like U.S. News and Times Higher Education.
Trends: While the U.S. still leads, reports indicate a slight "waning dominance" as East Asian universities (particularly from China and South Korea) continue to rise in research impact and global reputation
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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