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In the NoCo

Hot classrooms affect students’ ability to learn, researchers say. Here’s why those early-dismissal days are helpful

A childs hand holds a pencil as they review a school worksheet. Their other hand holds up three fingers.
Rebecca Slezak
/
AP

It's become common in recent years: In the first weeks after summer break ends, many educators find themselves dealing with stifling temperatures in the classroom. And a string of early release days often follows.

It happened again this year — at the tail-end of a summer that saw record-breaking temperatures across the Front Range, according to meteorologists.

If you find yourself wondering if kids should just deal with a warmer classroom, some new research from the American Psychological Association might change your thinking.
Researchers there dug into findings from hundreds of studies about how classroom temperature affects student performance.

Nicole Barnes is executive lead psychologist for education with the APA, and author of the study. She joined Erin O’Toole to talk about the research and why classroom heat affects some students more severely.

Nicole Barnes, a psychologist with the APA, wearing a dark-colored blazer with a white shirt underneath, smiles in a photo
Courtesy Nicole Barnes / American Psychological Association

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.
As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.