Connecting the dots on extreme weather and student success with national experts and education leaders

In August, Jonathan Klein (Co-Founder and CEO, UndauntedK12) joined a powerful conversation led by Senator Bill Frist, M.D. (Chairman and Founder, SCORE) about how extreme weather is affecting students, schools, and communities — and what education leaders can do about it.

Laura Schifter (Ed.D., Senior Fellow, This Is Planet Ed at Aspen Institute) shared a firsthand experience of recognizing students experiencing heat stress during sports amidst a heat wave, and of her work supporting schools to lead on climate action at This Is Planet Ed.

John English (Superintendent, Unicoi County Schools) spoke about community recovery in aftermath of Hurricane Helene, how the district supported students and families, and the critical role schools played as hubs for students, families, and response teams during and after the storm.

Jennifer Vanos (Ph.D., Associate Professor, Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability) discussed research showing how extreme heat affects young people in classrooms, including its impact on students’ ability to learn, focus, and behave.

Jonathan Klein spoke about the growing risks extreme weather poses to schools across the country, particularly in buildings that weren’t designed to withstand the conditions they’re experiencing today.

The panel also explored the solutions that education leaders, policymakers, and advocates can take action on, including modernizing school buildings to keep classrooms safe, addressing extreme heat on the playground and sports field, and preparing for growing risks of extreme weather.

Watch the webinar recording and explore the following resources to learn more:

• Reports/Research

  • Green Schoolyards America: California Tree Canopy Equity Study

  • Hot take: Reconsidering School Year Start Dates Amid Extreme Heat

  • Playbook for State Leaders

• Articles/News Coverage

  • As Students Return, America’s Classrooms Are Dangerously Hot

  • Climate Change is an Urgent but Often Overlooked Education Policy Issue

  • It's Getting Hotter in Classrooms and on Playgrounds

  • Schools That Never Needed AC Are Now Overheating

  • Unicoi County Schools Rebound After Helene

• Useful Links & Other Tools

  • Climate Resilience and Adaptation Toolkit

  • Ground-Source Heat Pumps: A Modern HVAC Solution for Schools

  • HeatReady Schools

  • Lost Learning Time Map

  • Play It Cool

  • Students, Schools, and Our Climate Moment

  • This Is Planet Ed