(Personal opinion - have not cross checked this with actual data)
The last school year started after the first wave.
Some places started with schools open with a virtual option, some started with a virtual only option.
Places with schools that started virtual saw a lot of debates on the best time to open, teacher and kid vaccinations etc. Then the second wave hit and most decided to wait it out. Most ended the year with majority of kids in virtual classes.
Places with schools that started open saw more kids return to in person classes throughout the school year, even through the second wave, and ended the year with most kids attending school.
