Aug 14, 2025 - News
Austin students face extreme heat
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About 108,000 Austin students attend schools in what is considered an extreme urban heat zone, per a Climate Central analysis.
The big picture: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during heat waves.
- Urban heat islands are more common in lower-income and non-white neighborhoods, researchers have found.
What they're doing: Austin-area school districts have found ways to acclimate to our increasingly hot summers.
- Austin ISD adopted more stringent guidelines, requiring more rest and water breaks and time limits on outside practices.
- Other Central Texas schools have shifted recess to the morning, added more shaded areas to their campuses, and partnered with certified athletic trainers to monitor students.
Zoom out: Almost 6.2 million students attend schools in extreme urban heat zones, per the analysis.
- 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.