Ylenia Aguilar raised her two sons in Arizona, first in Tucson and later Phoenix, so they’re no strangers to scorching heat. Recently, Phoenix hit its 100th straight day at or above 100 F (37.8 C), breaking the record set in 1993. Aguilar recalls moments when her children and other soccer kids fainted from heat-related illnesses and dehydration. Many U.S. schoolyards like hers are covered in heat-absorbing asphalt, with no shade in play areas and buildings made of materials that radiate heat indoors.
Children are more susceptible to heat illness than adults because their bodies regulate temperature less efficiently and they sweat less, leading to quicker dehydration. Climate change heightens these risks, with school closures due to heat becoming more frequent, according to a report by the Center for Climate Integrity and Resilient Analytics. Ronnie Jefferies works on repainting the parking lot at Science, Arts, and Entrepreneurship School to make it more reflective, part of efforts to mitigate heat, in Mableton, Georgia.
Data shows that low-income neighborhoods and communities of color can be up to 7 F (3.9 C) hotter than richer, whiter areas, exacerbating the heat-related challenges students and educators face. Extreme temperatures impact learning, performance, and concentration. However, there are accessible methods to cool down schools and neighborhoods. Joe Allen, associate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, finds it unacceptable that these conditions persist when solutions are available. In Phoenix, Aguilar joined the school board and helped pass a $50 million bond to fund various cooling solutions in her Osborn Elementary School District.
Other schools are also investing in these measures. On a hot day in 2022, students near Atlanta measured their basketball court temperature at 105 F (40.5 C). After applying a solar-reflective coating donated by a roofing manufacturer, the temperature dropped to 95 F (35 C). Reflective surfaces can cool playgrounds and roads by absorbing less solar energy. Interest in these methods is growing as urban heat islands become more understood. Adaptation measures like these will become increasingly important as climate change worsens, according to Daniel Metzger of Columbia Law School.
The Science, Arts, and Entrepreneurship School recently applied the same cool surface on its parking lot to meet sustainability goals. Officials in the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, east of Los Angeles, found that converting asphalt roofs to white cool roofing reduced upper-floor classroom temperatures significantly. This district, the second-largest high school district in California, spent $11.4 million converting to cool roofing since 2017, improving conditions for its 24,000 students, 65% of whom are Latino or Hispanic. Cool roofs, window films, and other reflective technologies are among the most cost-effective measures to lower indoor temperatures and reduce AC dependence.
Chaffey's cool roofs now sit at about 90 F (32 C), down from 140 F (60 C), and the district has also invested in shade structures, trees, and heat-stress monitoring equipment. In Berkeley, Calif., Sharon Gamson Danks observed her kids seeking shade from hot surfaces during school. Schools are now replacing asphalt, turf, and rubber mats with green schoolyards featuring grass, gardens, mulch, and trees. Between 2022 and 2023, California granted over $121 million for these efforts. Trees are particularly effective, reducing air and surface temperatures dramatically.
At Parkway Elementary in Sacramento, a $400,000 grant enabled the planting of 50 heat and drought-tolerant trees in place of old, unutilized fields, part of a broader effort to boost tree canopy in public schools. Although trees take time to mature, they provide immediate benefits like cooler air and shade. For the hottest schools, implementing these solutions can be challenging due to funding gaps. While grants like the Department of Energy’s Renew America’s Schools and the EPA’s Climate Resilient Schools program exist, they often don’t cover full costs. Schools frequently lack the resources to apply for and manage these grants, leading to disparities between affluent and under-resourced schools.
Collaborative efforts between schools and local governments can provide more comprehensive solutions, significantly improving the school environment. Aguilar’s district in Phoenix, for example, has continued to improve with more air conditioning, shading structures at playgrounds, bus stops, and courtyards, and plans to plant 100 more trees. Aguilar emphasizes the urgency of taking action as temperatures continue to rise. The Associated Press covers climate and environmental topics with support from multiple private foundations, but is solely responsible for the content. For more environmental coverage, visit AP’s dedicated section.
