Heat and Learning

A-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
Year: 2020
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Pages: 306-39

Authors (4)

R. Jisung Park (not in RePEc) Joshua Goodman (Boston University) Michael Hurwitz (not in RePEc) Jonathan Smith (Georgia State University)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We demonstrate that heat inhibits learning and that school air conditioning may mitigate this effect. Student fixed effects models using 10 million students who retook the PSATs show that hotter school days in the years before the test was taken reduce scores, with extreme heat being particularly damaging. Weekend and summer temperatures have little impact, suggesting heat directly disrupts learning time. New nationwide, school-level measures of air conditioning penetration suggest patterns consistent with such infrastructure largely offsetting heat's effects. Without air conditioning, a 1°F hotter school year reduces that year's learning by 1 percent. Hot school days disproportionately impact minority students, accounting for roughly 5 percent of the racial achievement gap.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejpol:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:306-39
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25