Heat Effects on Children’s Education Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Education affects nearly every dimension of human flourishing. As climate change drives higher average temperatures and more intense and frequent heatwaves, understanding the effects of heat exposure on children’s education is increasingly urgent. This systematic review synthesises research examining the relationship between heat and children’s education outcomes. Heat exposure was defined as indoor classroom temperatures and outdoor meteorological data, and education outcomes included exam scores, cognitive test scores, grades, and school attendance and completion. Quality of the evidence was assessed using Johanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Of 7,635 records identified (1,573 in an updated search), 34 were eligible for inclusion. Included studies came from a variety of academic fields and utilised both experimental and quasi-experimental methods. Findings indicated that heat exposure is consistently linked to poorer education outcomes, with 76% of studies reporting significant associations. A meta-analysis of a subsample of sufficiently similar studies (n= 9) found that for each additional 1C, exam scores decreased by -0.025 of a SD. A key limitation of the included studies was that few took place in low-income settings, where children may experience greater exposure and have fewer adaptive resources. Mechanisms underlying these effects, such as sleep disruption and reduced physical activity, also warrant further study.