Researchers reveal that hotter school climates negatively impact students’ test scores—and they’re not referring to school safety and quality.
Students are more likely to underachieve on test day when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, particularly in math, according to new research from the NWEA. The findings come in light of a widely discussed 2020 Government Accountability Office report, which found that 41% of school districts need heating, ventilation and air conditioning updates.
NWEA analyzed the scores of nearly three million tests from fall assessment sessions between 2022 and 2024.
In grades 3 through 8, math test scores are nearly 0.05 standard deviations lower when temperatures range between 81 and 100 degrees and 0.06 standard deviations on days above 101 degrees. For context, 0.06 standard deviations is the equivalent of nearly 10% of the learning typically gained in a school year for a fifth-grader, according to the NWEA.
Meanwhile, high temperatures can have double the impact on students’ math scores in high-poverty schools.
“Our findings show that as temperatures continue to rise, disparities in school facilities, such as having appropriate HVAC systems, can deepen existing inequities and make school infrastructure and building conditions significant issues of educational equity,” said Sofia Postell, research analyst at NWEA.
Here are some recommendations from the researchers:
- Build testing schedules around weather conditions whenever possible.
- Conducting testing in rooms that maintain more stable temperatures. Testing in the morning can also help improve student performance.
- Invest in more resilient facilities in the long term. Districts can leverage student outcome data as evidence of the direct benefits of facility improvements to strengthen support for investments.
- Consider educational equity when planning infrastructure upgrades and resource allocations, especially in high-poverty areas.
Read the full report here.
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