A multi-institutional study indicates that U.S. student academic performance entered a period of decline prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, though specific regional and instructional interventions have recently facilitated a partial recovery.

一項多機構研究指出，美國學生的學業表現在COVID-19疫情前已進入下降期，儘管近期特定的區域性與教學干預措施已促成部分恢復。

The 2025 Education Scorecard, a collaborative analysis by Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth, posits that the United States entered a 'learning recession' circa 2013. This systemic erosion of achievement predates pandemic-era disruptions; specifically, eighth-grade reading scores have regressed to their lowest levels since 1990, while fourth-grade scores have returned to pre-2003 benchmarks. Professor Thomas Kane attributes this trajectory to the attenuation of test-based accountability mechanisms and the proliferation of social media. The subsequent pandemic is characterized not as the primary cause, but as an accelerant of a pre-existing downward trend.

由哈佛、史丹佛與達特茅斯大學共同分析的《2025年教育成績單》認為，美國在2013年左右進入了「學習衰退期」。這種系統性的成就侵蝕早於疫情期間的干擾；具體而言，八年級的閱讀分數已退回至1990年以來的最低水平，而四年級的分數則回到了2003年前的基準。Thomas Kane教授將此趨勢歸因於基於測試的問責機制的削弱以及社群媒體的普及。隨後的疫情被定義為並非主因，而是既有下降趨勢的加速劑。

Recovery patterns exhibit a 'U-shaped' distribution, wherein the most significant gains are observed in the highest- and lowest-income districts, while middle-income districts demonstrate the least progress. The report suggests that federal pandemic relief funding was instrumental in the recovery of high-poverty districts. While math proficiency has rebounded more rapidly, reading scores continued to decline through 2024. However, a rapprochement with evidence-based pedagogy—specifically the 'science of reading' and phonics-based instruction—has yielded measurable growth in states such as Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. Conversely, partial implementation of these reforms in states like Florida, Arizona, and Nebraska did not correlate with improved outcomes.

恢復模式呈現「U型」分佈，其中最高收入與最低收入學區的進步最為顯著，而中產收入學區的進展最少。報告指出，聯邦疫情救濟資金對於高貧困學區的恢復起到了關鍵作用。雖然數學能力反彈較快，但閱讀分數直到2024年仍持續下降。然而，回歸以證據為基礎的教學法——特別是「閱讀科學」與基於發音（phonics）的教學——已在路易斯安那州、馬里蘭州、田納西州、肯塔基州與印第安那州等州取得了可衡量的增長。相反，在佛羅里達州、亞利桑那州與內布拉斯加州僅部分實施這些改革，與結果改善並無正相關。

Institutional case studies illustrate the efficacy of targeted interventions. In Modesto, California, the integration of the LETRS program and specialized English language support resulted in gains equivalent to 13 to 18 additional weeks of learning. In Detroit, a $94 million legal settlement facilitated the employment of small-group educators and attendance agents, mitigating chronic absenteeism. Furthermore, Southern states have emerged as leaders in reform; Alabama's Numeracy Act and Louisiana's literacy mandates have resulted in post-pandemic math and reading scores that exceed 2019 levels, respectively.

機構個案研究說明了針對性干預措施的成效。在加州莫德斯托，整合LETRS計畫與專業英文語言支持，帶來了相當於增加13至18週學習進度的收益。在底特律，一項9,400萬美元的法律和解金促成了小組教師與出勤代理人的聘用，緩解了長期缺勤問題。此外，南部各州已成為改革的領先者；阿拉巴馬州的《數理法案》與路易斯安那州的讀寫指令，使得疫情後的數學與閱讀分數分別超過了2019年的水平。

While national reading proficiency remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels, the adoption of phonics-based instruction and targeted funding has initiated a recovery in select districts and states.

雖然全國閱讀能力仍顯著低於疫情前水平，但採用基於發音的教學與針對性資金已讓特定學區與州啟動恢復。