These graphs display the average Spring Covid numbers (both number of cases, and as a percentage of undergraduate enrollment), as well as average school size for schools in each of our three ‘spring break plan’ groups.
One might think that schools with fewer positive cases early in the spring will be more likely to feel comfortable sending their students on spring break. Conversely, one could argue that schools with more cases likely have less strict Covid restrictions in place and are therefore more likely to give a full spring break the greenlight.
While it’s likely both stories describe some schools throughout the country (and large discrepancies exist between how frequently schools require testing), the data shows that on average schools with a spring break planned have reported the fewest positive cases at the beginning of the spring semester- good news for anyone who lives in a spring break town!
Finally, it appears schools with larger student populations tend to opt for a full spring break. It makes sense that the smallest average school size would be those planning wellness days, mental health days, or other mid-week breaks since they have a greater ability to individualize these breaks and monitor student behavior (like requiring testing on days off).
Data Analyst: Kilian Quinn
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