Effects of Extreme Temperature Exposure on Learning

As temperatures rise, understanding how extreme heat impacts student performance becomes increasingly important. This paper examines how exposure to high temperatures affects student learning and exam performance through cumulative channels. Using administrative records from Cambodia’s grade 12 national examination (2014–2023) linked with high-resolution reanalysis climate data, we estimate the impact of sustained heat during the school year on learning, proxied by exam scores. Our findings reveal that sustained exposure to high temperatures significantly reduces test scores, particularly among students in the social science track. A 1°C increase in average school year temperature lowers social science scores by roughly 0.05 standard deviations, suggesting that heat hampers the accumulation of learning over time. The results underscore that heat affects human capital formation and that adaptation capacity varies across socioeconomic and demographic groups. Students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) tracks and those accustomed to hotter climates display partial resilience, while female social science track students remain disproportionately exposed. Policy responses can improve classroom infrastructure and scheduling to reduce cumulative heat stress. Understanding these pathways is essential for designing education systems that remain equitable and resilient in a warming world.