One way to improve test scores? Proper air conditioning
“For many of us this time of year means weekends at the beach and evenings at the pool, but for America’s students, many of whom are still in school — and some without air conditioning — the start of summer can be a challenging time for paying attention in class. A working paper distributed this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research aims to quantify exactly how hard it is for students to learn when it’s hot. Researchers found that temperature and air conditioning makes a difference — and that students from poorer communities are more likely to be learning in uncomfortable conditions.”