A new report issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that disruptions to schooling due to measures taken to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a 1.5% drop in global economic output lasting until the end of the 21st century.
Reuters notes that this translates to a loss of $15.3 trillion for the United States alone, and quotes the report's authors as pointing out that, "Learning loss will lead to skill loss, and the skills people have related to their productivity ... Students from privileged backgrounds … could find their way past closed school doors to alternative learning opportunities. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds often remained shut out when their schools shut down."