Childhood prosperity predicts PISA changes

A cross‑country analysis (81 countries, PISA 2006–2025) suggests that fluctuations and persistent gaps in national PISA scores are strongly associated with measures of childhood prosperity; when comparing country EA polygenic scores and economic conditions, much of the PGS–PISA correlation is attenuated by prosperity differences. — If childhood material conditions explain a large share of international education performance and mediate genetic associations, policy should focus more on early‑life socioeconomic interventions rather than deterministic genetic explanations.