08/26/2026
Heat-related school closures mean lost instruction, wages, and productivity - and are currently uncounted.
Currently one in three American schools lack adequate cooling to keep children safe. Children have a higher risk of heat-related illness, including in overheated classrooms. Their bodies heat up 2 to 3 times faster than adults, and take longer to sweat, acclimatize, and regulate body temperature. Children are more prone to dehydration because they spend more time outdoors and depend on others to provide them with cooling and water. The youngest kids also can't always tell adults when they're overheating- and heat-related illness can move fast in a child.
Not every child faces the same risk on a hot day. Kids with asthma, obesity, or heart conditions, and children with disabilities or who can't easily move or cool themselves, are more vulnerable. Particular medications can make kids overheat more easily, too. Urban heat islands and systemic disparities also mean that overheated classrooms and hot unshaded playgrounds are often concentrated in the communities least equipped to fix them.
This week, the Federation of American Scientists and partners are leading a Back to School in Extreme Heat Week of Action.
🚨Share data and stories about how heat impacts learning and schools in your life using the hashtag !
Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oIHPZYNOCBY0K2yx5__3S75JC9SW-Yaj/view
