France Records Lowest Ever PISA Scores Since 2000

Overview

• The OECD published PISA 2025 results on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, showing France at its lowest measured performance since 2000 while still near the OECD average.
• Between 2022 and 2025 French averages fell by 18 points in reading, 16 points in mathematics and 4 points in science, with the OECD noting that roughly 20 PISA points equal about one school year of learning.
• The report finds one third of French 15-year-olds have large difficulties with reading comprehension, the share of very-high performers has sharply declined, and school leaders report growing teacher shortages and absences.
• Education minister Édouard Geffray described the results as 'préoccupants' but unsurprising and called for sustained work on pedagogy, greater school autonomy and stronger teacher training rather than one-off measures.
• The decline is part of a wider international fall in reading skills and is likely to push debate toward how France uses existing education spending, targeted remediation in schools, and longer-term policy changes before the next electoral cycle.