Recent federal data indicate a significant disparity in the academic recovery of American students following pandemic-related disruptions, with younger cohorts demonstrating progress while older students remain stagnant.

最近的聯邦數據顯示，美國學生在疫情導致的學習中斷後，學業恢復情況存在顯著差異：年幼學生表現出進步，而年長學生則停滯不前。

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) long-term trend report, utilizing a stable metric since the 1970s, reveals that nine-year-old students have largely returned to pre-pandemic reading proficiency and exhibited partial recovery in mathematics. Conversely, thirteen-year-olds have shown no statistically significant improvement since 2023, with reading scores approximating levels recorded in 1971. This divergence is attributed to the timing of instructional disruptions; the older cohort experienced the pandemic during foundational elementary years, whereas the younger cohort entered the education system as in-person instruction resumed.

國家教育進展評估（NAEP）的長期趨勢報告採用了自 1970 年代以來穩定的指標，結果顯示九歲學生的閱讀能力已基本恢復至疫情前水平，數學方面則有部分恢復。相反地，十三歲學生自 2023 年起未見統計上的顯著改善，閱讀分數接近 1971 年的記錄。此分歧歸因於教學中斷的時間點不同；較年長的學生群在小學基礎教育階段經歷疫情，而較年幼的學生則是在恢復實體教學後才進入教育系統。

Institutional analysis suggests that the decline in achievement predates the pandemic, with a peak observed around 2012. This long-term erosion is compounded by a precipitous decline in recreational reading. Data indicate that daily reading for pleasure among thirteen-year-olds fell from 37% in 1992 to 14% in 2025, a trend researchers correlate with increased cellular device and social media utilization. While state-level initiatives focusing on the 'science of reading' have aided younger students, officials emphasize that adolescent learners now require more intensive intervention before transitioning to secondary education.

機構分析指出，成就下降早在疫情前就已開始，峰值約出現在 2012 年。這種長期侵蝕因休閒閱讀量的驟減而加劇。數據顯示，十三歲學生每日為了興趣而閱讀的比例從 1992 年的 37% 下降至 2025 年的 14%，研究人員將此趨勢與行動裝置及社交媒體使用量增加相關聯。雖然州政府專注於「閱讀科學」的計畫對年幼學生有所幫助，但官員強調，青少年學習者在進入中學教育前，目前需要更密集的干預措施。

Furthermore, the administrative capacity to monitor these trends has been diminished. Following 2025 budgetary reductions within the U.S. Department of Education, significant personnel losses occurred at the Institute of Education Sciences. Consequently, several national assessments have been canceled, with the next iteration of this specific long-term trend assessment not scheduled until 2033.

此外，監控這些趨勢的行政能力已有所下降。隨著美國教育部 2025 年削減預算，教育科學研究所（IES）出現嚴重的人員流失。因此，多項國家級評估被取消，此次特定的長期趨勢評估預計直到 2033 年才會進行下一次。

While younger students show encouraging academic gains, adolescent proficiency remains critically low, and the cessation of frequent federal testing limits immediate longitudinal monitoring.

雖然年幼學生的學業進步令人鼓舞，但青少年的能力水平依然處於危險的低谷，且聯邦測試的停止限制了目前的長期監測。