User:Parker.sanford/new sandbox

Education
The pandemic has affected educational systems worldwide, leading to the widespread closures of schools and universities, causing significant changes in the delivery of higher education since colleges and universities struggled over whether to remain open or move virtual. '''According to data released by UNESCO on 25 March, school and university closures due to COVID-19 were implemented nationwide in 165 countries. Including localized closures, this affects over 1.5 billion students worldwide, accounting for 87% of enrolled learners. '''

These school closures were effective because during this time, studies showed lower incidence rates and morbidity rates of COVID-19. A big question higher education institutions had to deal with was regarding whether or not they would open in person for the 2020-2021 school year. The decision to stay virtual or re-open were mainly based on financial factors. Private institutions and four-year colleges depend on funds from tuition and dormitory housing therefore, were more likely to open in-person to maximize profits and student experience. These schools could also afford safety precautions like thermometers, ventilation, testing kits, and personal protective equipment. Another contributing factor is the culture of the area, including political and religious affiliation. Schools in Evangelical and pro-Trump regions felt more pressure to open their doors, regardless of rates of COVID-19.

The drastic changes in education had negative effects on students mental health. For example, of 195 students interview surveyed at a large university, their finding show that there is an increased concern in mental health of these students. Overall, students felt higher levels of stress, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, increased social isolation, disruption of eating patterns which all contributes to deteriorating mental health.

The COVID-19 pandemic is also causing an educational divide. A study with 55 million observations reported that families of a higher economic status were more likely to check out books for their children at libraries than those of lower economic status and immigrants. (mads jaeger). Parents with lower levels of education face a worse outcome of the pandemic, as studies show that they are likely to receive less hours and more likely to be face unemployment. This in turn, contributes to the “diverging destinies” children are linked to.