PISA 2025 Math Scores Fell. Here's How Engagement Helps Students Climb Back.

The newest international math results landed this month, and the headlines are tough to read. If you teach math, you've probably already fielded the question from a colleague, a parent or your own inner voice: what does this mean for my students?

Here's the reassuring part. You already know the most powerful lever in the room, because you see it every day. Students who want to practice, practice more. Students who practice with purpose grow. And students who grow start to believe they're "math people" after all.

In this guide, we'll unpack what PISA 2025 actually found, why purposeful practice matters more than ever, and a practical plan for moving your students sitting just below proficiency across the line this year. We'll also share what Prodigy's 2025 state studies show about intentional classroom use.

What did PISA 2025 find about math?

PISA 2025 found that average math performance across OECD countries has reached the lowest level ever recorded by the assessment. Released on 8 September 2026, the Programme for International Student Assessment tested about 760,000 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies. Across OECD countries, math scores fell 22 points between 2015 and 2025, which the OECD describes as equivalent to just over one year of learning.

A few more findings stand out for classroom teachers:

• More students are falling below the baseline. Across the OECD, one in five 15-year-olds is now a low performer in science, math and reading, up from 16% in 2022.
• In the United States, about one in three students didn't reach baseline math proficiency. 65% of US students reached at least Level 2 in math, matching the OECD average. The share of US students performing below that level rose by six percentage points compared with 2015.
• US math results are among the lowest ever observed. They held roughly steady from 2022, but remain below 2018 levels.

PISA tests 15-year-olds, but the skills it measures are built long before high school. Number sense, fractions, proportional reasoning and the confidence to try a hard problem are grown in elementary and middle school classrooms. That's where the turnaround starts.

Source: OECD press release, 8 September 2026; PISA 2025 Results (Volume I): United States country note.

Does technology help or hurt math learning?

PISA 2025 gives a nuanced answer: it depends on how it's used. Students tended to perform less well when device use became excessive, or when devices were used for leisure at school. In the words of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, technology can strengthen learning "only when used purposefully and not as a substitute for attention, effort and understanding."

That's a helpful line for any teacher weighing digital tools. The question isn't whether to use technology. It's whether each minute has a clear learning purpose, is tied to what you're teaching, and gives you information you can act on.

That idea, intentional use, runs through every finding in Prodigy's research too. More on that below.

Why engagement is the first step to higher scores

Test scores are the outcome. Engagement is the input. A student who dreads math avoids practice, and a student who avoids practice falls further behind, which makes math feel even worse. Breaking that loop is often the fastest path to growth.

Game-based learning helps because it changes what practice feels like. Students earn progress for every correct answer, get immediate feedback, and can take on challenges without being singled out in front of the class.

Teachers see this shift firsthand:

"Struggling students love Prodigy. They think they're playing a game, but in reality, they are learning and practicing. Some of my heaviest users of Prodigy have become my best students. There is a positive correlation between Prodigy usage and student performance."

Jezer Urena, Teacher

Prodigy's own student research points in the same direction. According to a 2021 survey of students in grades 5 to 8:

And in a two-wave survey Prodigy ran with students in grades 3 to 6 over three months:

Who are "bubble students," and why do they matter now?

Bubble students are students scoring just below the proficiency cut on a state assessment. They're close enough that focused support over a few months can realistically move them from "approaching" to "meeting" grade level.

After a year of headlines about falling scores, it's natural to feel pressure to focus on this group. The goal isn't to pour everything into a handful of students while others wait. It's to recognize that the same approach that lifts bubble students (targeted practice, regular feedback, growing confidence) lifts the whole class.

What often holds bubble students back isn't ability. It's a few specific skill gaps, plus a quiet belief that they're "just not good at math." Engagement addresses the second. Intentional practice addresses the first.

"In Prodigy, my low-performing students can compete with my high-performing students without tension or negative consequences, which causes them to perform better."

Krystal Gibson, Teacher

A 6-week plan to move bubble students toward proficiency

Here's a simple, flexible routine you can adapt to your schedule. It works with any practice tool, and we've noted where Prodigy can save you time.

Weeks 1 and 2: Find the specific gaps

• Start with the data you already have. Pull last year's state scores or your fall diagnostic and list students within reach of the proficiency cut.
• Go from "struggling in math" to "struggling with these three skills." Prodigy's teacher reports show which skills each student has mastered and where they're getting stuck, so you can spot patterns without extra grading.
• Talk with students about goals. A short, private conversation ("You're really close. Let's work on fractions together") builds buy-in.

Weeks 3 and 4: Practice with purpose

• Assign practice that matches what you're teaching. In Prodigy, you can create assignments aligned to the standards you're covering this week, and target specific students or small groups.
• Keep sessions short and frequent. Several short sessions each week usually beat one long one.
• Use practice time for small groups. While most of the class practices independently, pull your bubble students for direct instruction on their gap skills.

Weeks 5 and 6: Check progress and celebrate it

• Review reports weekly and adjust. Move students on when they've mastered a skill, and reteach when they haven't.
• Celebrate effort and progress, not just scores. Confidence is part of the outcome.
• Bring families in. A quick note home about what their child is working on turns practice at home into support for your classroom.

What does research show about Prodigy and state test scores?

Across Prodigy's 2025 state studies, one pattern keeps showing up: the more intentionally teachers use Prodigy, the stronger the results. When teachers integrate Prodigy into instruction and create regular assignments, their students outperform state averages. That includes students moving up across proficiency levels.

Beating the trend in a tough year

The PISA story is one of decline. In several states, schools using Prodigy intentionally bucked a similar trend.

Moving students across the proficiency line

This is the bubble student story. These findings look at students moving up proficiency levels, or not slipping below them.

Assignments make the difference

The strongest results consistently came from classrooms where teachers created Prodigy assignments tied to their instruction.

That's the same message PISA is sending, seen from the classroom. Purposeful practice works. Practice that students actually want to do works even better.

The bottom line

PISA 2025 is a wake-up call, but it doesn't have to be a forecast for your classroom. The students who will move the most this year are the ones who start to enjoy the work of getting better, and who get practice matched to exactly what they need.

That's what intentional, engaging practice makes possible. Less wrestling students into worksheets, and more students asking for "just one more question."

Create your free teacher account

Common Questions About PISA 2025 Math Results

What is PISA and who takes it?

PISA (the Programme for International Student Assessment) is an international test run by the OECD every few years. It measures how well 15-year-olds can apply reading, math and science to real-world problems. The 2025 round included about 760,000 students across 91 countries and economies.

How much did math scores drop in PISA 2025?

Across OECD countries, average math scores fell 22 points between 2015 and 2025, which the OECD describes as just over one year of learning. It's the lowest OECD average ever recorded in PISA math.

What is a bubble student?

A bubble student is a student scoring just below the proficiency cut on a state test. With focused, targeted support, these students can often move to meeting grade level within a school year.

How can teachers improve math test scores without teaching to the test?

Focus on the skills underneath the test. Use data to find each student's specific gaps, assign short and frequent practice aligned to what you're teaching, and build confidence along the way. Prodigy's 2025 state studies found the strongest results in classrooms where teachers created regular assignments tied to their instruction.

Is Prodigy free for teachers?

Yes. Prodigy Math is free for teachers and students to use in the classroom.

How often should students use Prodigy?

Consistency matters more than long sessions. The schools in Prodigy's 2025 state studies had most students engaging monthly and answering a set number of questions on average (for example, 100+ or 200+ questions per student, depending on the study). Short, regular sessions tied to your lessons are a great place to start.