A new research brief from the Brookings Institution examines the effects of climate-change related events on preK-12 schools in the U.S. and how strengthening preparation and response to these events can boost student achievement and reduce inequities.
As evidenced by the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress results, which saw declines in nearly every category, “student achievement has dropped to its lowest level in a quarter century and the pandemic-era spike in chronic absenteeism has largely persisted.” Adding to these pressures are extreme weather-related events.
“Last year marked the nation’s hottest on record, with extreme heat waves ballooning emergency room visits and sending electricity bills soaring,” the brief states. “Toxic smoke from wildfires in California and Canada has traveled hundreds of miles, blanketing major cities and turning skies orange. In the Southwest, worsening droughts are forcing municipalities to impose water restrictions, while in coastal areas like Florida, sunny-day flooding regularly inundates streets during high tides.”
The brief cites a new report that finds climate-related events are increasingly disrupting the operations of U.S. schools, affecting everything from attendance and achievement to infrastructure.
“Yet schools are not only vulnerable to climate impacts, they are also uniquely positioned to be part of the solution,” according to the brief. “By taking steps such as reducing building emissions, integrating climate science into the curriculum, expanding outdoor education, and preparing students for careers that advance sustainable practices, schools can play a central role in creating a heathier, more resilient future.”
The problem
Research has found that the foundation of a safe and healthy school environment contributes to student learning and achievement. The brief’s authors found that, based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency risk-estimate data, one quarter of preK-12 schools are located in areas designated “very high risk” for at least one of 11 different environmental hazards. Brookings created an interactive table that shows the specific vulnerabilities a local educational agency faces.
The 2024–25 school year alone saw over 9 million students affected by closures or activity cancellations due to extreme weather events including heatwaves, flooding, hurricanes and wildfires, according to data collected by UndauntedK12.
“A compelling body of evidence documents how climate-induced extreme weather harms students’ achievement and attainment — through school closures, increased absenteeism, and the adverse learning conditions they cause — as well as through negative health and economic effects on students, families, and communities,” states the brief.
Creating climate-resilient schools
Upgrades such as HVAC system improvements, fire-resistant roofing, flood-resistant landscaping and heat-mitigating infrastructure are all ways LEAs can mitigate the effects and damage of weather- and climate-related closures. “Energy-efficient upgrades can also lower schools’ operating costs. And because schools often double as emergency shelters, these infrastructure investments can benefit entire communities,” the brief states.
The brief notes that LEAs’ dependency on local funding often leads to a systematic underinvestment in improving school infrastructure, since there are so many competing priorities having to do with students’ academic and social-emotional outcomes. “Large differences in local tax bases also create inequities in the health and safety of school infrastructure, further compounding unequal learning opportunities that cut across racial and socio-economic lines. Targeted state and federal support for capital improvements — such as matching grant funds and credit enhancement for local bonds — hold promise for accelerating investments and reducing inequities,” according to the brief.
The brief notes the missed opportunities in teaching K-8 students about climate education, as most of this learning does not happen until high school in the U.S. And even then, “concerns about politicizing schools and proselytizing about controversial issues abound. But failing to teach students about the scientific evidence identifying the causes and consequences of our warming planet ignores their own lived experiences and leaves them without the tools they need to adapt to and address these challenges. Despite pre-K-12 schools’ inadequate coverage of the topic, students’ growing concern is clear: 58 percent of youth ages 16 to 25 say they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ worried about climate change.”
