Fact Check: Is Trump’s claim about US education ranking ‘at the very bottom’ in global list accurate?

WASHINGTON, DC: During his first Cabinet meeting in his second term as president on February 26, 2025, Donald Trump made bold claims regarding the state of the US education system.

He stated that the country was "ranked at the very bottom of the list" and that his administration would work to return control of education to individual states, such as Iowa and Indiana. Trump also promised that this shift would improve education outcomes in the US.

Donald Trump claims US education ranks at 'the very bottom'

President Trump said, "We want to move education back to the states where it belongs. Iowa should have education, Indiana should run their own education. You're going to see education go way up. Right now we're ranked at the very bottom of the list."

Later in the meeting, Trump mentioned that the US was ranked 40th but did not specify which list he was referring to. This has prompted questions about the accuracy of his claims, particularly regarding the ranking of US education on the global stage.

PISA data disputes Donald Trump's claim of US education ranking at the bottom

Newsweek fact-checked the president's statements by reviewing data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), a widely regarded test that evaluates educational performance across the globe. The 2022 PISA report, which covered over 80 countries, assesses student performance in reading, mathematics, and science.

According to PISA’s findings, the US does not rank at the very bottom in terms of global educational performance. The United States ranked higher than the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) member nation averages in reading and science.

However, the US did perform below the average in mathematics. The 2022 report also revealed that US performance in math and science had declined since 2009, while reading performance showed slight improvement.

Donald Trump claims highest per-pupil spending, but OECD data says otherwise

During the same Cabinet meeting, Donald Trump also inaccurately claimed that the US has the highest per-pupil spending in the world.

However, available comparative data from the OECD disputes this statement. According to the OECD's 2021 data, the US spends less than Norway and Luxembourg on educational institutions per full-time equivalent student. The US ranked sixth in cost-per-pupil for primary education.

PISA’s findings for 2022 also noted that fewer US students attended pre-primary education compared to the OECD average. However, a lower proportion of US students reported having to repeat a grade at least once compared to other OECD nations.

Despite these discrepancies, Trump's comments about education, as well as his broader pledge to dismantle the Department of Education, signal a significant shift in how the administration intends to approach the country’s education system.

The president's remarks have sparked debate, with many questioning the accuracy of his claims and the implications of such a major policy change.

As the investigation continues and further data is analyzed, it is clear that the debate over the state of US education and its future will remain a major issue during Trump's presidency.