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Too hot to learn? Evidence from high school dropouts in Brazil

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  • Costa, Francisco
  • Goldemberg, Diana

Abstract

Analyzing 30,000 Brazilian schools, we find that heat exposure increases dropout rates in public schools, particularly in urban areas. A one-standard-deviation increase in hot days raises dropouts by 5.1%. Private schools show no effects, suggesting infrastructure’s role in educational inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Costa, Francisco & Goldemberg, Diana, 2025. "Too hot to learn? Evidence from high school dropouts in Brazil," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:247:y:2025:i:c:s0165176524006414
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2024.112157
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education; Temperature; School dropout; Climate change; Brazil;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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