Something unprecedented is happening in modern education history. According to neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, Generation Z is the first modern generation to score lower on academic measures than the one that came before it. He brought this concern before a relevant U.S. Senate committee, making it a matter of national discussion. Critically, he argues the issue has nothing to do with laziness or lack of motivation, but rather with how today’s children learn and how constant screen exposure affects the still-developing brain.
For well over a century, each successive generation consistently outperformed its predecessor in areas like reading comprehension, memory retention, and problem-solving. That long-standing trend appears to have stalled with Generation Z, loosely defined as those born between 1997 and the early 2010s. Data from international assessments point to measurable declines in concentration, literacy, math skills, so-called executive functions, and even average IQ scores. These capabilities matter not just for academic success but also for everyday decision-making and emotional self-regulation.
One of the clearest shifts involves how young people take in information. Long-form, focused reading is increasingly being replaced by short video clips, bullet-point summaries, and quick scrolls through content. Deep learning demands time, repetition, and sustained effort, whereas rapidly skimming from one piece of content to the next encourages a fragmented mental style. Researchers warn this pattern can weaken memory formation and make it harder for students to independently tackle more complex tasks.
The amount of time young people spend in front of screens, both at school and at home, has grown enormously. Digital tools offer speed and convenience, but they do not always foster deeper thinking or genuine understanding. Experts continue to stress the importance of direct conversation, debate, and learning that builds meaningfully over time rather than jumping across disconnected topics.
Reading habits have also taken a significant hit. According to 2024 data from the National Literacy Commission, only about one in three children reads voluntarily in their free time, and just around one in five does so daily. A study published in the scientific journal iScience found that the habit of daily reading has dropped by more than 40 percent over the past two decades, a striking decline that underlines just how much leisure behavior has shifted.
Dr. Horvath is not calling for technology to be abandoned altogether. His position is one of moderation and clear limits, arguing that learning suffers when digital tools replace the mental effort that genuine understanding requires. Data gathered across dozens of countries suggests that aggressive classroom digitalization has not consistently produced better outcomes. His research focuses on bringing scientific insights into real learning environments, with less reliance on screens and more emphasis on focused, concentrated thinking.
Experts largely agree that reversing the trend is possible, but it demands genuine engagement from adults. Children benefit from books, unstructured time for thinking, and even boredom, which research has shown can stimulate creativity. Limiting screen time during studying, encouraging regular reading, and rewarding effort rather than just speed are all practical steps that can help rebuild concentration over time. The goal, as Dr. Horvath frames it, is not to turn back the clock but to find a more balanced relationship with technology.
It is worth knowing that Generation Z is generally defined as individuals born roughly between 1997 and 2012, following the Millennial generation and preceding Generation Alpha. This cohort is considered the first to have grown up with smartphones and widespread social media as a normal part of childhood. The term “executive functions” refers to a set of cognitive skills managed largely by the prefrontal cortex, including the ability to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks at once. These skills typically develop throughout childhood and adolescence, making the early years especially sensitive to environmental influences like screen habits and reading practices. The Flynn Effect, named after researcher James Flynn, described the observed rise in IQ scores across generations throughout most of the 20th century, and the potential reversal of this trend in recent cohorts has drawn considerable scientific attention worldwide.
If this topic resonates with you as a parent, teacher, or simply someone paying attention to where education is heading, share your thoughts in the comments.
