Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyle(Getty/iStock)Latest federal data reveals a significant divergence in academic recovery among American students following pandemic disruptions. Nine-year-olds have largely returned to pre-pandemic reading scores and shown some recovery in math. In contrast, 13-year-olds' test scores remain stagnant, with their reading proficiency effectively at the same level as in 1971. Experts emphasize the critical need for educators to focus on adolescent learners, as this older group missed crucial foundational learning during the pandemic. The assessment also highlights a significant decline in reading for pleasure among both age groups, particularly 13-year-olds, linked to increased social media use. In fullEducation crisis deepens as teen reading scores plummet to levels not seen since 1971Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Unscathed by pandemic-era school closures, the nation's 9-year-olds showed progress in math and reading. It's a different story for 13-year-olds, however.

Younger students have regained academic ground lost during the pandemic, but older students' test scores remain stagnant.