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The effects of summer heat on academic achievement: A cohort analysis

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  • Cho, Hyunkuk

Abstract

This paper analyzed the effect of summer heat on academic achievement. Summer heat can negatively affect student learning, as previous studies have shown that high temperatures in laboratory settings have a negative effect on cognitive abilities. For this analysis, the test scores of five different cohorts were combined with city-level daily temperature data. To control for unobserved heterogeneity, the test scores of students within the same school were compared over time (school-fixed effects estimation). Summer heat negatively affected student test scores. Specifically, an additional day with a maximum daily temperature exceeding 34°C (93.2°F) during the summer, relative to a day with a maximum temperature between 28°C (82.4°F) and 30°C (86°F), decreased the scores of math and English tests by 0.0042 and 0.0064 standard deviations, respectively. No significant effects were found on the reading test scores. In addition, these effects were larger in relatively cooler cities, but did not differ based on gender. Finally, the previous year's summer also had negative effects on the current year's test scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Cho, Hyunkuk, 2017. "The effects of summer heat on academic achievement: A cohort analysis," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 185-196.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:83:y:2017:i:c:p:185-196
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2017.03.005
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    Cited by:

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    2. Marcus Dillender, 2021. "Climate Change and Occupational Health: Are There Limits to Our Ability to Adapt?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 56(1), pages 184-224.
    3. Vladimir Otrachshenko & Olga Popova & Nargiza Alimukhamedova, 2024. "Rainfall variability and labor allocation in Uzbekistan: the role of women’s empowerment," Post-Soviet Affairs, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(2), pages 119-138, March.
    4. Popova, Olga & Otrachshenko, Vladimir & Tavares, José, 2019. "Extreme Temperature and Extreme Violence across Age and Gender: Evidence from Russia," GLO Discussion Paper Series 382, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Wei, Xiahai & Li, Jianan & Liu, Hongyou & Wan, Jiangtao, 2023. "Temperature and outdoor productivity: Evidence from professional soccer players," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    6. Heidi Kaila & Abul Azad, 2019. "Conflict, Household Victimization, and Welfare: Does the Perpetrator Matter?," HiCN Working Papers 315, Households in Conflict Network.
    7. Xin Zhang & Xi Chen & Xiaobo Zhang, 2024. "Temperature and Low-Stakes Cognitive Performance," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 11(1), pages 75-96.
    8. Yun Qiu & Jinhua Zhao, 2022. "Adaptation and the distributional effects of heat: Evidence from professional archery competitions," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 88(3), pages 1149-1177, January.
    9. Vladimir Otrachshenko & Olga Popova, 2022. "Does Weather Sharpen Income Inequality in Russia?," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(S1), pages 193-223, April.
    10. Haiqiang Liu & Xidong Ma & Zhihao Zhang & Xiaoling Cheng & Yanmi Chen & Shoichi Kojima, 2021. "Study on the Relationship between Thermal Comfort and Learning Efficiency of Different Classroom-Types in Transitional Seasons in the Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone of China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-30, October.
    11. Li, Xiaoxiao & Patel, Pankaj C., 2021. "Weather and high-stakes exam performance: Evidence from student-level administrative data in Brazil," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    12. Eunsik Chang & María Padilla-Romo, 2019. "The Effects of Local Violent Crime on High-Stakes Tests," Working Papers 2019-03, University of Tennessee, Department of Economics.
    13. Peillex, Jonathan & El Ouadghiri, Imane & Gomes, Mathieu & Jaballah, Jamil, 2021. "Extreme heat and stock market activity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    14. Preety Srivastava & Trong-Anh Trinh & Xiaohui Zhang, 2022. "Weather effects on academic performance: An analysis using administrative data," Discussion Papers 2207, University of Exeter, Department of Economics.
    15. Tien Manh Vu, 2022. "Effects of Heat on Mathematics Test Performance in Vietnam," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 36(1), pages 72-94, March.
    16. Villalobos, Laura & Gomez, Julian D. & Garcia, Jorge H., 2023. "Technology Attenuates the Impact of Heat on Learning. Evidence from Colombia," EfD Discussion Paper 23-6, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Summer heat; Academic achievement; Test score; Compensatory behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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