At the peak of COVID school closures, 1.6 billion students were affected in 2020. Teachers reported a training gap for digital instruction, with 78% saying they needed more support to use digital tools effectively. The article connects those disruptions to enrollment, learning poverty, graduation, and education costs.
Key Takeaways
- 763 million adult learners worldwide participated in education and training in 2018 (ages 15+), per UNESCO modeling.
- 25 million tertiary school-age students were out of school in 2021.
- 48.3 million children were enrolled in pre-primary education in the US in 2020.
- 1.6 billion students were affected by school closures at the peak of COVID-19 in 2020.
- 78% of teachers reported needing further training to effectively use digital tools for teaching.
- 48% of colleges and universities in the US reported using a learning management system (LMS) for instruction in 2020.
- US K-12 per-pupil spending increased from $10,800 in 2011–12 to $14,604 in 2020–21 (inflation-adjusted not specified in source table).
- US public K-12 schools’ total expenditures were $799 billion in fiscal year 2020.
- The average published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year institutions in the US was $39,723 for 2022–23.
- In OECD countries, 44% of 15-year-old students report that they expect to complete tertiary education (PISA 2022 student questionnaire).
- In the US, unemployment rate for high school graduates (no college) was 4.1% in 2023 (BLS).
- In 2023, the WEF estimated that employers expected 23% of workers to require upskilling by 2027.
- In the US, the 4-year high school graduation rate was 86.0% for the cohort graduating in 2021.
- US NAEP eighth-grade math scores declined by 3 points from 2019 to 2022.
- 53% of children and youth in low- and middle-income countries were in learning poverty in 2022 (inability to reach minimum proficiency in reading by age 10).
Nearly 1.6 billion learners were disrupted by COVID and teacher training and learning gaps still persist globally.
Related reading
01 · Category
Global Enrollment3 stats
01
763 million adult learners worldwide participated in education and training in 2018 (ages 15+), per UNESCO modeling.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000371406
02
25 million tertiary school-age students were out of school in 2021.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000382139
03
48.3 million children were enrolled in pre-primary education in the US in 2020.https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_203.20.asp
Interpretation
Global Enrollment Interpretation
Global enrollment shows both breadth and a persistent gap, with 763 million adult learners participating in education and training in 2018 while in 2021 around 25 million tertiary-age students were still out of school.
02 · Category
Digital Learning4 stats
01
1.6 billion students were affected by school closures at the peak of COVID-19 in 2020.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374638
02
78% of teachers reported needing further training to effectively use digital tools for teaching.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373581
03
48% of colleges and universities in the US reported using a learning management system (LMS) for instruction in 2020.https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_330.20.asp
04
28% of higher education institutions reported using video conferencing platforms for distance instruction in 2020.https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_330.30.asp
Interpretation
Digital Learning Interpretation
During the COVID-19 peak, 1.6 billion students faced school closures, and since then digital learning adoption has been uneven, with only 48% of US colleges and universities using an LMS and just 28% using video conferencing, alongside 78% of teachers saying they still need training to use digital tools effectively.
03 · Category
Education Costs3 stats
01
US K-12 per-pupil spending increased from $10,800in 2011–12 to $14,604 in 2020–21 (inflation-adjusted not specified in source table).https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76
02
US public K-12 schools’ total expenditures were $799 billion in fiscal year 2020.https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_236.10.asp
03
The average published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year institutions in the US was $39,723for 2022–23.https://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/tuition-and-fees
Interpretation
Education Costs Interpretation
From 2011–12 to 2020–21, US K–12 per-pupil spending rose from $10,800 to $14,604 while total public K–12 expenditures reached $799 billion in 2020, and with private nonprofit four-year tuition and fees averaging $39,723 in 2022–23, the Education Costs picture shows a clear upward spending pressure across both public schools and higher education.
More related reading
04 · Category
Education Labor & Skills7 stats
01
In OECD countries, 44% of 15-year-old students report that they expect to complete tertiary education (PISA 2022 student questionnaire).https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2022-results-volume-i-6a0a60d1-en.html
02
In the US, unemployment rate for high school graduates (no college) was 4.1% in 2023 (BLS).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat01.htm
03
In 2023, the WEF estimated that employers expected 23% of workers to require upskilling by 2027.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/
04
In the EU, 47.0% of adults aged 25–34 have at least tertiary education (2023 Eurostat).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Educational_attainment_statistics
05
1,600,000 new teachers were needed globally between 2021 and 2030 to meet education commitments (UNESCO estimate).https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000380134
06
Teacher shortages are forecast to leave a gap of about 44 million teachers globally by 2030 if current trends persist (UNESCO/ILO projections).https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377136
07
In the US, there were about 3.3 million public and private K-12 teachers in 2021.https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_236.10.asp
Interpretation
Education Labor & Skills Interpretation
The Education Labor and Skills outlook is tightening as teacher gaps and upskilling needs grow fast, with UNESCO estimating 1.6 million new teachers needed between 2021 and 2030 and a potential 44 million teacher shortfall by 2030 alongside a WEF forecast that 23% of workers will require upskilling by 2027.
05 · Category
Outcomes & Achievement5 stats
01
In the US, the 4-year high school graduation rate was 86.0% for the cohort graduating in 2021.https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2023/2023301.pdf
02
US NAEP eighth-grade math scores declined by 3 points from 2019 to 2022.https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/highlights/
03
53% of children and youth in low- and middle-income countries were in learning poverty in 2022 (inability to reach minimum proficiency in reading by age 10).https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/099064005052330771/learning-poverty-update-2022
04
10.1% of the global population has a disability (World Bank/WHO estimates often used in education accessibility work; 2023 WHO/World Bank).https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health
05
1.1% of students globally are out of school with a disability (UNESCO global estimates).https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000370004
Interpretation
Outcomes & Achievement Interpretation
Education outcomes remain uneven as the US 4-year high school graduation rate reached 86.0% in 2021 but NAEP eighth-grade math scores fell by 3 points from 2019 to 2022, while across the world 53% of children in low and middle-income countries are in learning poverty and students with disabilities face low participation with only 1.1% globally out of school with a disability.
report visual · Comparison
Education reach and disruption during COVID-19
A large share of the global student population was affected by school closures, while millions of learners remained out of school or enrollment. Percent indicators can complement these figures, but the headline story is the scale of disruption and continued participation gaps.
48.3 million children were enrolled in pre-primary education in the US in 2020.48.3
25 million tertiary school-age students were out of school in 2021.
25
1.6 billion students were affected by school closures at the peak of COVID-19 in 2020.
1.6
source-verifiedunesdoc.unesco.org · nces.ed.gov2021
Reference
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APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Education Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/education-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Education Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/education-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Education Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/education-statistics.
Sources & references
22 datasets cited across this report
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)