Why U.S. Test Scores Are in a ‘Generation-Long Decline’; The New York Times, May 13, 2026

 Claire Cain Miller, Francesca Paris and Sarah Mervosh , The New York Times; Why U.S. Test Scores Are in a ‘Generation-Long Decline’

"Education experts say there is no single reason for the declines. But the timing provides some clues.

Students’ test scores had been increasing since 1990 — then abruptly stopped in the mid-2010s. That coincided with two events: an easing of federal school accountability under No Child Left Behind, which was replaced in 2015, and the rise of smartphones, social media and personalized school laptops....

Screens, screens everywhere

Something happened globally around the same time: the proliferation of devices, at home and in school.

Nearly half of American teenagers now say they are online “almost constantly,” compared with just under a quarter who said that a decade ago, according to Pew Research Center. Virtually all schools give children laptops or tablets in class, as early as kindergarten."