Australia’s PISA Scores Hit 20-Year Low as Screen Time Soars in Classrooms

Australia recorded its worst-ever maths and reading scores in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), released Tuesday by the Australian Council for Educational Research. Fifteen-year-olds are now 2.5 years behind teenagers who started school at the turn of the millennium. The decline coincides with high classroom disruption driven by digital devices, prompting Education Minister Jason Clare to call for a “digital detox” in schools.

Maths and reading hit record lows

Australian high school students scored their lowest ever results in mathematics and reading, continuing a 20-year downward trend. Science performed better, with students scoring 509 points, significantly above the OECD average of 482 points. Students in government schools scored about 50 points lower than independent schools across all three subjects, equivalent to 2.5 years of study behind.

Classroom disruption outpaces global average

Australian classrooms rank among the world’s most disruptive due to noise, disorder, and digital distractions. Students reported a less positive “disciplinary climate” compared to 67 countries surveyed. Thirty-nine percent of Australian students reported getting distracted by digital resources, compared to the OECD average of 28 percent. Computer use was also higher, with 57 percent of Australian students reporting spending more than two hours daily on devices at school, nearly double the OECD average of 30 percent.

Screen time linked to academic decline

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare warned that the more kids use screens, the more their results decline. Clare said PISA data, along with other tests like TIMSS and PIRLS, show students who use screens heavily score lower than those who do not. However, he noted that digital skills remain important and called for balance rather than eliminating technology entirely.

Government and education sector response

The NSW Department of Education said it is researching screen addiction and best practices for device use, with findings due by year-end. Education Minister Clare flagged digital device use as a priority topic for the next state and federal education ministers’ meeting in October. The federal government has committed to fully funding public schools for the first time, though the deal does not take effect until 2034. Low funding has been blamed for a steady exodus from the public school sector.

Final Thoughts

Australia remains above the OECD average overall, but the 20-year decline in core subjects and high classroom disruption signal urgent policy action is needed. Screen time management and equitable school funding are now central to the government’s education agenda.

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