Washington, D.C., September 8, 2026  – National Parents Union President Keri Rodrigues released the following statement in response to the 2025 PISA results.

“The latest PISA results should set off alarm bells in Washington and across the country. Over the past three years, the reading scores of American 15-year-olds have fallen significantly, and the 14-point decline places literacy scores at one of the lowest levels in 25 years for the United States. Even more troubling, the share of students struggling to reach basic proficiency has grown substantially over the last decade, with roughly 1 in 4 American students reading below the basic level of proficiency and lacking the fundamental skills to read a utility bill or generally participate productively in society.

This is unacceptable.

Literacy is not just an education issue. It is an economic imperative and a matter of our nation’s global competitiveness. America cannot lead the world in innovation, science, technology, or economic growth if we fail to give every child the most fundamental skill they need to succeed: the ability to read.

Congress has the opportunity to act right now. The bipartisan, bicameral Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development (READ) Act would help states implement evidence-based literacy practices, strengthen teacher preparation and professional development, expand early screening and intervention, support high-impact tutoring, and ensure parents know when their children are struggling.

The READ Act has already advanced through the Senate HELP Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support and congress should pass it immediately.

America’s global competitiveness begins in our classrooms. Every child deserves to become a strong reader, and we refuse to accept a status quo that leaves students struggling with a skill that is foundational to everything that comes next.”

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/