Trending Now
Is Europe in trouble as the US pulls away?
Trump is reshaping America’s relationship with Europe, which has been “impacted in a permanent and structural way,” says Ian Bremmer. In this Quick Take, Ian explains what that shift means for the future of the transatlantic alliance—and for Europe.
Is Europe finally ready to defend itself?
How serious is Europe about really beefing up its defense and rearming? Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, shares his perspective on European politics from Tabiano, Italy.
Trump’s trade war: Who really wins?
Beneath America’s shifting economic and foreign policy lies a fundamental question: What happens when its closest allies can no longer trust it? The Economist's Zanny Minton Beddoes joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to discuss.
Greenlanders see red over White House visits
The Americans are coming, and Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute B. Egede is not happy about it. Egede lashed out at the Trump administration for planning visits to the island nation late this week by Second Lady Usha Vance and her son to see a dogsled race, and by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to tour a US military base.
Israel ramps up military offensives as Bibi battles the courts
Israel stepped up its attacks against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon this weekend. Domestically, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sacked his security chief – though that's been put on hold by the Supreme Court – and is trying to remove the attorney general.
We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
pisa
Graphic Truth: Losing the numbers game
The Trump administration is working to dismantle the Department of Education, a long-time conservative goal rooted in the belief that education is best managed at the state and local levels. Most decisions — especially regarding curriculum — already are made locally, but the department plays a key role in setting standards, assessing student performance, and supplementing where states are falling short. Critics worry that eliminating it could widen educational inequalities.
This could hurt US competitiveness, which is already slipping. In 2022, the US ranked 34th in global math performance, according to the OECD PISA assessment of 15-year-olds in 81 countries. Canada ranked ninth, despite also seeing a decline. The impact is evident in other surveys as well. In IMD Business School’s 2024 Competitiveness Report, the US dropped to 12th place among global economies, its lowest ranking ever — down from 1st in 2018.
The US and Canada aren’t alone. Math scores have been trending downward globally since the OECD PISA assessments began measuring them in 2002 – falling between one to three points every four years. But scores took a sharp tumble between 2018 and 2022, falling an alarming 16 points globally, likely because of education disruptions and school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.