Evidence Matters: Exploring the Baltic Tiger

September 5, 2025

Since gaining its independence from Russia in 1991, Estonia has risen to the top of educational rankings, both in Europe and around the world. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international test that allows for the comparison of educational systems globally. Estonia’s strong performance on the PISA assessment began around 2006, and the country’s scores continued on an upward trajectory in 2012, 2015, and 2018. According to results from the 2022 PISA, Estonian students ranked first in Europe and fifth in the world in all three domains of the assessment (reading, math, and science), while the United States ranks eighteenth.

Additionally, despite the fact that Estonia is currently experiencing a decline in their working-age population, the country continues to have one of the best performing labor markets in the European Union. They have accomplished this due to strong links between their education system and higher education and training institutions, as well as through efforts to attract numerous foreign companies. Estonia’s focus on technology has earned it the nickname of the Silicon Valley of Europe. As of 2022, 10 $1 billion tech companies had originated in Estonia, with a startup growth rate of 30 percent per year. Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, has the highest number of startup companies per person among all capitals and larger cities in Europe and is the birthplace of many international high-profile technology companies, such as Skype and Wise.

Given the small size and short history of Estonia, its educational and economic achievements are impressive. Many scholars attribute Estonia’s success to multiple factors, including their investment in both digital infrastructure and blended learning capabilities in their schools, a sophisticated vision for labor market growth, excellent teacher preparation alongside school and teacher autonomy, and the willingness to offer equitable educational opportunities to all students.

South Carolina and Estonia are very different places but share some very compelling similarities. While the population size of South Carolina (5.3 million) is larger than that of Estonia (1.3 million), both have a central organizing entity overseeing public education while simultaneously allowing considerable local control of districts and schools. Additionally, both South Carolina and Estonia share commonalities among their high-tech industry clusters, including biosciences, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing, among others. We have much to learn and share with one another.

The Riley Institute at Furman, Public Education Partners of Greenville County, and the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness formed a partnership to host a field study in May 2025 that took an in-depth look at Estonia’s infrastructure and at the connection between their educational methods and workforce and economic development. South Carolina’s educators, policymakers, and other leaders joined the trip to gain valuable and actionable insights into the rise of the Baltic Tiger. Read reflections from Wendy Thacker, vice president of philanthropy and community engagement at ScanSource, and from the trip’s organizers.

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Kelly Gregory is the Riley Institute’s Director for Public Education Projects and Partnerships and previously taught for 11 years in South Carolina public schools. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Special Education. She also holds a National Board certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist. She can be reached at [email protected].