Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath argues that Generation Z has become the first modern cohort to score lower on standardized academic tests than their parents, citing declines across attention, memory, literacy, numeracy, executive function, and general IQ. Reviewing international testing data, he links the downturn to the rapid insertion of digital technology into classrooms and daily life: educational software replacing long readings and deep problem‑solving, and teens spending a large share of waking hours on screens. That environment, he says, trains students to skim short, surface-level content rather than sustain attention, tolerate frustration, and develop the cognitive “friction” that builds depth and retention. Horvath reported similar patterns across roughly 80 countries where digital tools became widespread.
He presented these findings during a 2026 Senate hearing on screen time and urged restraint rather than tech abolition: dial back screens in schools, restore rigorous assignments, assign full texts and extended problem work, and rebuild interactions that require sustained attention. He also noted a troubling mismatch between young people’s confidence and their measured performance, warning that confidence without corrective feedback impedes improvement. The takeaway is a call to redesign learning environments to prioritize depth over speed before declining cognitive skills become entrenched.
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