The Valencian Community has recorded some of Spain’s poorest results in science, reading and mathematics, according to the newly published PISA 2025 report, the world’s largest international comparative survey of 15-year-old students.
The international assessment, which measures the abilities of 15-year-old students, gave the region 450 points in science, 424 in reading and 435 in mathematics. All three scores were substantially below the Spanish and OECD averages. Science was the principal subject examined in the latest assessment.
Compared with the 2022 assessment, Valencia’s score fell by 33 points in science, 58 in reading and 38 in mathematics. The region experienced Spain’s largest decline in mathematics and, over the past decade, its science performance has dropped by 44 points.
Valencia ranked last among Spain’s autonomous communities for science, although the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla recorded lower scores. It also finished close to the bottom in mathematics and was the second-lowest-ranked region for reading.
The findings reveal considerable differences between high- and low-performing Valencian students. The region recorded an interquartile range of 140 points in science, compared with the Spanish average of 132, highlighting a particularly wide achievement gap.
Grade repetition remains another significant concern. Some 28.6% of Valencian 15-year-olds have repeated at least one school year—almost three in every ten students. This was Spain’s fourth-highest rate, level with La Rioja and behind only Ceuta, Melilla and Andalusia.
Marked differences were also recorded between public and privately managed schools. Public-school students averaged 414 points in reading, compared with 442 in private and state-funded private schools. In mathematics, the respective scores were 425 and 455. However, PISA warns that socioeconomic circumstances account for much of the apparent difference between school types.
The performance gap between students from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds reached 75 points, placing Valencia among the Spanish regions with the greatest educational inequality. Despite having a socioeconomic profile close to the national average, Valencian students performed below the level that might reasonably be expected.
Absenteeism was also widespread, with 52.8% of students reporting that they had missed at least one class or full school day during the two weeks before the assessment.
PISA 2025 also examined environmental science in greater depth. Valencian students were among those showing the lowest awareness of environmental challenges and the least confidence in society’s ability to bring about positive ecological change.
Nevertheless, 63% expressed an interest in pursuing work connected with protecting the planet. Although this was the lowest percentage in Spain, it remained slightly above the OECD average of 62% and the EU average of 59%.
