PISA 2025: what can schools do now?

PISA 2025: what it is and what the results were in Spain

In recent weeks, one topic has dominated headlines in media around the world: the PISA 2025 results. But what exactly is PISA?

The PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) report from the OECD evaluates the skills of 15-year-old students in different countries every three years. Its goal is to measure not only what students know, but also how they can apply their knowledge and skills to real-life situations.

PISA 2025 included 91 countries and economies. In Spain, the assessment involved nearly 30,000 students from more than 900 schools and analyzed their performance in mathematics, reading, and science, while also incorporating, for the first time, an assessment of computational problem-solving.

The results, published in September 2026, paint a picture that follows the trend of recent years. In Spain, average performance falls below the OECD average in all three areas assessed: mathematics, reading, and science. Furthermore, compared to 2022, results have declined in mathematics and reading, while science has remained at similar levels.

But beyond the scores, what does the data actually tell us? And what can schools do about it? That's what we'll look at next. Hint: the picture isn't entirely negative.

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Not all bad news: what does the data tell us about our students?

The PISA 2025 results raise some important challenges for Spain's education system, but beyond that initial picture, the report also includes some positive indicators worth highlighting.

A strong sense of belonging at school

One of the most notable findings concerns students' sense of belonging. Feeling included, accepted, and connected to others is linked to learning outcomes. According to PISA 2025, in Spain, 90% of students say they feel they belong at their school, compared to an OECD average of 76%. Spain is among the education systems with the highest percentage of students reporting a sense of belonging at their school.

This finding is especially relevant because it reminds us that academic performance isn't the only indicator of how well an educational environment is functioning. Feeling part of the school, having an environment where one feels included and connected to others, is also part of the learning experience.

That said, the data also shows that not all students experience this in the same way: girls report a lower sense of belonging than boys, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students also show lower levels than their more advantaged peers.

Students who know how to ask for help

Another interesting aspect relates to how students approach their own learning. According to the PISA 2025 report, in Spain, 78% of students say they ask their teachers for help when they need it, and 84% turn to their classmates when they don't understand something. In addition, 62% say they ask themselves questions about the material to check their understanding, and 43% say they regularly plan how they study.

Beyond the figures, these results point to something important: learning also means knowing when we need help and being able to seek it out.

This presents an opportunity for schools: continuing to build students' autonomy doesn't mean they have to learn alone—it means helping them identify their needs, use the resources available to them, and actively participate in their own learning.

Problem-solving skills in a digital world

PISA 2025 also incorporates, for the first time, an assessment of computational problem-solving—a skill that is becoming increasingly relevant in an educational and professional landscape shaped by technology.

In this area, Spain's performance is close to the OECD average, which is an interesting finding because it shows that the educational picture is not uniform. Students may struggle in certain areas while, at the same time, developing strengths in other skills that will matter for their future.

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From results to action: what can schools do?

The PISA results raise challenges that affect the education system as a whole and therefore cannot be solved by schools alone. Education policy, available resources, social and economic conditions, and the family environment itself all play an important role in student learning.

Even so, schools are one of the spaces that help support students and foster their learning. With that in mind, there are several areas where schools can continue to make progress.

Turning technology and AI into learning tools

The PISA 2025 results clearly show that students are exposed to both technology and AI on a daily basis. The data show that technology can be an opportunity for learning, but it also presents new challenges, especially when used without a clear educational purpose.

In Spain, 29% of students say their classmates are frequently distracted by digital devices during science classes. Students who report this type of distraction also tend to score lower, on average, in science (though this data shows an association rather than proof that device use causes lower performance).

The case of artificial intelligence is similar. Its use is already quite widespread among students: 54% of Spanish students say they use AI tools at least once a week to help them learn. Among its most common uses are initial research on a topic, summarizing texts, and writing assignments.

What can schools do in this context?

The data shows that students are already using technology and artificial intelligence, so the challenge lies in teaching them to use these tools responsibly and with an educational purpose.

This means, for example, encouraging the use of artificial intelligence as support rather than as a substitute for the learning process itself. It also means teaching students to verify the information they receive, identify possible errors, and develop critical thinking toward AI-generated responses.

Schools can establish clear guidelines on the use of these tools and support both students and teachers in adopting them, ensuring they are used responsibly and critically.

Tools like Seven AI help with this process by offering support to students and teachers, without replacing what is fundamentally human: learning and teaching.

Strengthening the link between school and family

Learning doesn't happen only in the classroom. Families also play an important role in how students experience their education and in the support they receive throughout their schooling.

However, the PISA 2025 data show that this relationship may be losing strength. In Spain, the percentage of students who say their parents or guardians ask them at least once a week about what they did at school has dropped from 77% in 2022 to 69% in 2025. Similarly, the percentage of students who talk with their family weekly about problems they may be having at school has fallen from 60% to 50%.

These findings prompt us to reflect on how we can continue bringing schools and families closer together. The goal isn't to increase the volume of communication, but to make it more useful, personal, and meaningful.

Schools can help by providing simple communication channels that allow families to stay better informed about how a student is progressing—not just when report cards arrive or a problem comes up. Sharing information about students' day-to-day experiences, catching potential difficulties early, and maintaining more consistent contact can help schools and families work in the same direction.

Creating the right conditions for learning

The PISA 2025 report also highlights that Spanish schools continue to face certain resource-related challenges. Shortages of teachers and support staff, as well as certain gaps in materials and infrastructure, are among the obstacles cited by school leadership teams.

This doesn't mean that resources alone explain academic results, but it does remind us that improving learning also depends on the conditions in which it takes place.

Not all of these factors are within schools' control. However, there are areas where action is possible: improving coordination between teams, simplifying processes, making better use of available information, or reducing time-consuming tasks that could be managed more efficiently.

Ultimately, this is also what it comes down to: making it easier for those who are in the classroom every day to spend more time on what really matters—supporting their students and helping them learn.

Seven Education's solutions (including Educamos and Additio App in Spain and Latin America) help support the day-to-day work of school leadership teams and teachers.

Awaiting the foreign language results

The analysis and discussion don't end here. On April 6, 2027, the results of the foreign language assessment will be published, completing the picture of PISA 2025 and offering further opportunities to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for improvement facing schools.