Exposure to excessive heat, especially prolonged exposure, has been associated with adverse health outcomes for people of all ages and can impact the brain’s capability to learn and retain information, reason, communicate and make decisions among other functions.
The article “Cumulative exposure to urban heat can affect the learning capacity of students and penalize the vulnerable and low-income young population: A systematic review,” which was recently published in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS Climate, considered seven studies spanning 61 countries and roughly 14.5 million students on the subject as communities around the globe continue to face more extreme climate-related event.
The review focused on research regarding the long-term effects of indoor or outdoor temperatures on students’ (including those K-12 and college) ability to learn throughout their academic careers as opposed to momentary studies which examine more immediate consequences.
Researchers found that, “Long-term heat exposure was found to impair students’ cumulative learning, with complex tasks (e.g., mathematics) more affected than simpler ones (e.g., reading). Adaptation via acclimatization and increased air conditioning use showed protective effects. However, lower socioeconomic groups faced disproportionately greater impacts, underlining critical inequalities. As global temperatures rise, these disparities may widen.”
They went on to outline some potential consequences if current predictions become reality. “It is estimated that by 2050, a potential temperature increase of 1.5°C [34.7°F] in the USA could reduce the performance of elementary school students, as measured by math and English/language arts tests grades, by 9.8 percent, assuming no adaptation measures are taken,” according to the article.
Additionally, the article’s authors estimate that “heat exposure accounts for up to 13 percent of the racial achievement gap in the USA.” This is due to factors like “discrepancies in heat exposure during the school period, caused by the partial lack of air conditioning in schools in the poorest geographic zones, as well as significant differences in ambient temperatures between the zones where various racial groups live.”
The cognitive and academic impacts of temperature increases, even those as little as 1°F, can be more significant in geographic areas that are typically cooler compared to warmer locales.
Some research suggests that temperatures below 71.6°F are optimal for student performance.
Education leaders may consider adaptive measures such as air conditioning and advanced ventilation systems to protect students and staff. The use of air conditioning in Los Angeles Unified School District was linked with 5-10 percent increases in reading and math scores, according to research cited in the article, and similar benefits were observed in schools in New Haven, Connecticut. Other cooling strategies are also explored.
“There is an urgent need to adopt a new perspective on the cognitive implications of climate change by advancing technologies and implementing robust, targeted policies to safeguard both current and future human capital,” the article concludes.
