With kids back to school, big concerns about how heat affects learning are also back

Erin Stone is a reporter who covers climate and environmental issues in Southern California.

Published Aug 13, 2024 5:01 AM

Four people sit outside of an elementary school, in the shade on a sunny day. In the background is the Esperanza Elementary School building, with trees in the sun.

The hotter it is, the harder it is for kids to learn. Parents across L.A. county school districts have long raised the alarm about poorly functioning or no air conditioning at all in their childrens’ classrooms.

What the research says

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Kids are going back to school. The heat can hurt their learning.

For every one degree the temperature goes up, performance on standardized tests goes down by 1%, according to UCLA research. In schools without air conditioning, 90-degree days can reduce students’ performance on critical exams by as much as 13%, compared to student learning on a 70-degree day.

Who’s most affected?

Researchers report the impacts of heat on learning are cumulative. That’s, in part, why heat has a disproportionate impact on low-income students of color, who may not have access to adequate cooling at home either.

“If a child is not getting good sleep because they don't have air conditioning at home, that's going to contribute to behavioral issues, learning issues as well,” said V. Kelly Turner, one of the UCLA heat researchers. Worsening heat and disparities in air conditioning at school is also a driver of the racial education gap.

Back to school

How to get involved in your child's education, whether it's a new school year or halfway done

There are all kinds of ways to engage with your child's education, whether you have only a little time or a lot.
Overwhelmed by annual back-to-school costs? Here are free supply giveaway events in LA you need to know about

All students in school need supplies — pencils, notebooks, backpacks, calculators, and even electronics like headphones and iPads.
California districts try many options before charging parents for student truancy

Multiple phone calls, emails, letters and requests for meetings are what parents should expect if their child is deemed truant. Most school districts appear less and less likely to lean on punitive measures in recent years.

The state of cooling in schools

Schools have no ongoing, dedicated funding for upgrades and repairs. Los Angeles Unified School District estimates it needs to replace 50,000 heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units across the district. Some schools have no cooling at all.

What’s next

All California voters will see a statewide school bond measure, called Prop 2, on the November ballot to help fund those improvements. Voters in LAUSD districts will also see a $9 billion dollar bond for upgrades. A full list of school districts that may put similar bonds on the ballot is expected later this week.

The connection between climate and learning

Improving schools can help entire communities adapt to climate change, experts say. Heat pumps, air conditioning, and improved ventilation indoors help keep students cool and able to learn during the day, while replacing asphalt with shade structures and trees outdoors can help lower the temperatures across surrounding communities.

If schools install solar and battery storage, they'd be positioned to help nearby communities ride out disasters and power outages. We should note that California recently cut incentives for schools to do that infrastructure work.