Despite efforts to recover from learning losses associated with the pandemic, many students across the United States continue to lag in reading and math. A new Stanford database highlights significant learning losses nationwide, while research indicates recovery has stalled, even with billions in pandemic aid. Some schools, however, have managed to defy the national trend and show improvements, particularly in North Carolina where schools outpace the national average. As students struggle to catch up nearly five years after widespread school closures, educators and policymakers are urged to focus on the stark variations in recovery across different districts.