Heat and learning in elementary and middle school
Travis Roach, Jacob M. Whitney
Abstract
Changing weather patterns and extreme events are not the only outcomes of global climatic change. We investigate the impact of changing weather conditions on human capital development by studying achievement on standardized tests in Math and English/Language Arts for students in grades 3–8. Here we show that increasing average temperature levels and particularly hot days reduce student learning and achievement. We find that achievement decreases as temperatures increase, that this effect is larger in areas with lower average maximum temperatures, and that each additional day above 100∘F decreases student achievement. This study confirms many findings in the received literature on global climate change and human capital acquisition and productivity.