OECD Education Director Warns of Global Literacy Decline and Highlights Role of Parental Reading

In a recent CBS News segment, Andreas Schleicher, director of education and skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), discussed alarming trends in literacy worldwide. He confirmed that most countries, including the United States and other Western nations, are experiencing a significant drop in literacy outcomes.

Declining Reading Habits and Literacy Outcomes

Schleicher attributed the decline to a shift in reading habits over the past two decades. “Twenty years ago we read more complex material—long texts that required deep engagement,” he said. “Today we consume snippets of information, and that has a direct effect on our ability to navigate complexity, manage ambiguity, and distinguish fact from opinion.”

He emphasized that one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future reading ability is whether parents read with them. The practice of shared reading, he noted, continues to be a vital factor in early literacy development.

Parental Reading as a Key Predictor of Development

Further conversation revealed that the OECD has recently published a study of five-year-old children, identifying parental reading as the single most important predictor not only of reading skills but also of broader cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Schleicher pointed out that literacy rates are backtracking in many U.S. states, with Missouri faring worse than Kansas, and cited numerous local initiatives from states such as Massachusetts, Arizona, New Jersey, Michigan, and others that aim to reverse the trend.

A Call for Renewed Focus on Literacy

While acknowledging the growing concern, Schleicher called for renewed focus on encouraging families to read together, suggesting that this simple habit could help restore stronger literacy foundations for the next generation.