European nations face sharp drop in global student test scores

UPDATE - follow-up to European education powerhouses rocked by falling scores in global study - theguardian.com: Several leading countries in Europe are dealing with a major setback after student scores dropped sharply in a large international study. The new findings show a worrying trend in student performance across multiple nations that are usually known for strong school systems. Experts and school officials are now looking closely at the results to find out why the numbers fell so low. The new data points to widespread challenges in classrooms that stretch across borders, pushing governments to rethink how basic subjects are taught. While leaders review the test details, local educators are demanding urgent changes to fix the gaps in student learning before the next round of assessments takes place.