Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42444582›Full record

SynthesisThe Journal of school health2026

Climate, Classrooms, and Children: A Systematic Review of Temperature-Related Impacts on Academic Performance.

Amal Umerani, Ashby Lavelle Sachs, Sonia Karsan, Ayesha Saeed, Hannah Rogers, Nadav Sprague, Christine C Ekenga

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Journal of school health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Amal UmeraniGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Ashby Lavelle SachsBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6237-9587
Sonia KarsanGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Ayesha SaeedGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Hannah RogersWoodruff Health Sciences Center Library, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Nadav SpragueDepartment of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Christine C EkengaGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6209-4888

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundClimate change is increasing children's exposure to extreme temperatures, yet evidence on how both hot and cold temperatures affect academic outcomes in school-aged populations remains limited. This review synthesized studies of temperature and academic performance in primary and secondary school students.

methodsThis systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines. The PubMed, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), PsycINFO, CINAHL, EconLit, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed observational studies published from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2025. The Climate Health ANalysis Grading Evaluation tool was used for quality appraisal.

findingsFourteen studies (one global, four USA, two Australia, seven other countries) met inclusion criteria. Across indoor and outdoor studies, hotter temperatures were generally associated with poorer academic outcomes. Limited evidence also suggested adverse effects of colder temperatures. Several studies identified greater vulnerability among students from lower-income communities and racially marginalized groups. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Schools should invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, including cooling, ventilation, and insulation, and prioritize adaptation resources.

conclusionTemperature-related school environmental conditions are an important and potentially modifiable influence on academic performance and may contribute to educational inequities, underscoring the need for climate-adaptive learning environments.

Indexed as

Academic PerformanceClimate ChangeCold TemperatureHot TemperatureSchoolsStudentsChildHumanschildrenclimate changeeducationsocial determinantstemperature

Identifiers

PMID42444582
PMCPMC13366450

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.