Back in the ’90s, I taught at a small school in a rural town in Missouri with a population of about 1,200. Except during winter, those classrooms were unbearably hot. I’m not sure if the high school lacked funding for air conditioning or if it was just deemed less important than new sports uniforms, but our method of cooling down was simply cracking a window and hoping for a breeze. Even though we started the school year in the fall, I distinctly remember my classroom feeling like the peak of a suffocating Missouri summer.
The administration was aware that both teachers and students were expected to function under oppressive conditions. They attempted to provide some solutions to help us cope with the heat:
- Fans! Nothing quite like the experience of lugging a box fan from home, only to circulate hot air and the unpleasant scent of sweat in a closed space.
- Water Bottles! Students were permitted to bring large containers of water to stay hydrated. That is until the administration decided that students might fill them with alcohol instead. They preferred the risk of heat stroke over the risk of inebriation.
- The Principal’s Office! Predictably, this was the only room in the building that was blissfully cool. Both students and teachers found reasons to linger there to escape the heat long enough to recover. After all, the office needed to be cool for the printer to function, but shouldn’t the classrooms be cool enough for students to perform well too?
Eventually, the administration resorted to sending students and staff home early on particularly hot days. This was a relief for students with air conditioning at home, but it also meant they were missing valuable learning time. With three hours of instruction lost each day, the impact added up.
It really boiled down to a lose-lose situation: students couldn’t learn if they weren’t in school, but they also couldn’t learn if they were literally frying in their seats.
As for what learning occurred in those sweltering conditions? It’s hard to say, because there wasn’t much learning happening at all. How could anyone focus when they were suffocating? Students and staff alike became lethargic, and when you’re melting into your desk, retaining information becomes nearly impossible.
While my personal experience may not seem convincing, numerous studies back this up: extreme heat and effective learning do not mix. One study, conducted over 14 years, examined the link between heat and cognitive development. Researchers found that high temperatures in classrooms led to a significant decline in student performance on standardized tests. In fact, for each additional degree Fahrenheit, student achievement fell by an equivalent of 1 percent of a year’s worth of learning.
For low-income and minority students, the impact of heat was even more pronounced. The same temperature increase could negatively affect their academic performance three times more than their wealthier peers.
Research from the Tulsa University’s Indoor Air Program took a different approach, revealing that as classroom temperatures decreased (from 78 to 67 degrees), students’ scores in math, reading, and science improved. Adequate ventilation and temperature control could potentially elevate students’ test scores above state averages.
Of course, standardized tests are not the only measure of educational success. Teachers like myself, who witness the day-to-day realities, can attest to how oppressive heat stifles learning.
The New York State Union of Teachers encourages educators and parents to share their experiences with heat in classrooms, and the stories are overwhelming. One teacher from North Rockland described classroom temperatures nearing 100°F, leading to students feeling lethargic and suffering from headaches. Another from Hyde Park shared that the heat left her feeling dizzy and dry while her students appeared glazed over, with papers damp from sweat, making learning impossible.
We’ve long recognized that lack of sleep and poor nutrition can adversely affect educational outcomes—so why is it hard to accept that extreme heat could have similar effects? Don’t we already understand that uncomfortable heat can impair cognitive function?
Ultimately, school boards face two choices: invest in effective cooling systems or continue to fry our students’ minds. Here’s hoping they make the right choice. For more insights, check out this other blog post about home insemination.
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Summary
Hot classrooms are not merely uncomfortable; they significantly hinder student learning and performance. Research shows that extreme heat negatively impacts cognitive abilities, with low-income and minority students being disproportionately affected. Schools must prioritize adequate temperature control to foster an effective learning environment.
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