• After years of declining performance, Sweden is now showing first improvements. Student performance has improved significantly in mathematics and reading, and a declining trend has been reversed in science. The results are now at or above the OECD average in all three subjects. • It is particularly encouraging that Sweden has been able to reduce the share of low performers in mathematics, while at the same time raise excellence with an increased number of top performers. • Sweden shows one of the highest levels of efficiency in education with strong academic results compared to the number of hours students receive instruction or do homework. Only five other school systems have a more positive ratio between learning time and academic outcomes.