More kids have been sent to boarding schools during the pandemic. 

More kids have been sent to boarding schools during the pandemic. According to the NCES, last fall 50.7 million American children attended public schools compared to 5.7 million who attended private schools. TABS reports that boarding schools account for a “sliver” of the American student body with around 35K students attending private school as boarders every year—but interest for them has grown during lockdowns. YPulse’s Education report found that 59% of students were attending school online at the beginning of the school year and some families have become weary of virtual learning, giving boarding schools more serious thought despite not ever considering them in the past. Some academies have reported seeing their domestic boarding applications increase 20%. While boarding schools aren’t totally immune to the pandemic, parents see it as a “steadier alternative.” Because most of them still continued in-school instruction and activities, students can have access “to a life that resembles normal”—for an average tuition of more than $60K a year. (NYTimes)