Millions of U.S. kids attend schools in "urban heat zones"

Data: Climate Central; Chart: Alex Fitzpatrick/AxiosMost K-12 public students in the biggest U.S. cities attend schools in extreme urban heat zones, a new analysis finds.Why it matters: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during heat waves like the one that recently struck much of the country.Many schools lack adequate air conditioning, jeopardizing students' health and learning abilities in periods of extreme heat while class is in session.Driving the news: About 76% of public K-12 students in the 65 most populous U.S. cities attend schools where the heat island effect increases temperatures by at least 8°F, per a new analysis from Climate Central, a climate research group.Researchers there examined more than 12,000 schools, with nearly 6.2 million students.The group's analysis is based on its previous work modeling urban heat zones, as well as National Center for Education Statistics data.Zoom in: Among the included cities, Louisville, Kentucky (98%); Orlando, Florida (97%) and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (97%) have the largest shares of public K-12 students enrolled at schools in extreme urban heat zones.Boston (36%), Providence, Rhode Island (42%) and Richmond, Virginia (49%) have the smallest.Threat level: Some school districts had early dismissals, canceled classes, or even ended the school year early amid the recent heat wave, The Hill reports."Tens of thousands of public schools" need new or upgraded HVAC systems to meet increased cooling needs, per a 2024 Center for American Progress report, to the tune of $4.4 billion.How it works: Heat islands amplify the impact and danger of extreme heat events fueled by human-driven climate change, with the built environment absorbing and trapping heat at the hyperlocal level.Urban heat islands are more common in lower-income and non-white neighborhoods, researchers have found.What's next: Cities are increasingly aware of heat islands, and some are taking steps to alleviate it — by planting trees and using reflective road paint, for example — albeit with mixed results.

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