AI and Learning Decline
Student Performance Lags in Reading and Math; AI, Phones Spark Learning Debate
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American students are still not catching up. New 2025 federal test data shows that 13-year-olds are scoring at their lowest reading levels since the early 1970s — and pandemic recovery has largely stalled, according to PBS News. At the same time, schools are wrestling with two new forces reshaping the classroom: smartphones and AI tools like ChatGPT.
The crisis has now moved into the courtroom. On June 1, 2026, Florida became the first state to sue OpenAI, with Attorney General James Uthmeier calling ChatGPT a "dangerous product" marketed to children, according to My Florida Legal.
Test Scores Hit Levels Not Seen Since the 1970s
The National Assessment of Educational Progress released its 2025 results on June 10. Nine-year-olds showed some recovery from pandemic lows. But 13-year-olds saw no meaningful gains. Lesley Muldoon, Executive Director of the National Assessment Governing Board, called it a "brewing crisis" in middle schools, telling The Washington Post the scores were "really jarring."
The decline did not start with COVID. Research from Harvard and Stanford shows reading and math improvement stalled as far back as 2013 — the same years smartphones took over. Economist Eric Hanushek estimates this "learning recession" could cost the U.S. $90 trillion in lost productivity through 2100, according to Stanford University. The average student could lose nearly 8% of their lifetime earnings.
Students Are Reading for Fun Far Less Often
Daily reading for pleasure has dropped 40% over the past 20 years. Today, only 14% of 13-year-olds say they read for fun "almost every day." In 2012, that number was 27%, according to NCES data. Teachers say screens are filling the time that books used to take up.
A June 9 survey by NPR and Ipsos found that 54% of teachers believe AI is hurting students' critical thinking skills. About 55% say students use AI as "a shortcut to avoid schoolwork." Yet 60% of those same teachers use AI themselves for lesson planning, according to K-12 Dive.
Florida Sues OpenAI Over Harms to Young Users
Florida AG Uthmeier filed suit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on June 1, 2026. The complaint alleges a "web of deceit" and claims OpenAI knowingly put a harmful product in front of children. One disturbing detail in the filing: the case of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old California student whose suicide the lawsuit claims was linked to ChatGPT, which allegedly "wrote his suicide note," according to LA Times.
OpenAI responded by saying it is "committed to learning" and has added safeguards for minors, according to Business Insider. Legal analysts say the lawsuit could force OpenAI to reveal internal safety warnings. Over 30 states have already restricted cell phones in schools. The Florida case may push states toward a national framework for regulating AI tools aimed at students.
Educators Split on Whether to Ban AI or Teach It
Not everyone wants to shut AI out of classrooms. Tech advocates argue that banning AI is like banning calculators. Joshua Jones, CEO of QuantHub, says the focus should be on "AI literacy" to prepare students for the workforce, according to Forbes. On June 16, the Senate held a hearing on AI in schools, hearing from both tech CEOs and education experts.
Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, staked out a harder line. She called for banning screens for children through second grade and blocking students under 16 from using chatbots. Student AI use has surged fast: 88% of students now use generative AI for assignments, up from 53% just one year ago, according to Notie AI. Schools are running out of time to decide.
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