Aug 6, 2025 - News
Most San Diego students in extreme urban heat zones
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
More than 75% of San Diego students attend schools in extreme urban heat zones, above the national average.
Why it matters: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during heat waves.
- Many schools lack adequate air conditioning, jeopardizing students' health and learning abilities in periods of extreme heat while class is in session.
Zoom in: San Diego Unified spent about $460 million between 2013 and 2019 installing 15,000 HVAC systems in schools, Voice of San Diego found last year.
- But those systems didn't always work: The district received more than 1,100 heating and cooling work orders during a 30-day period a year ago, resolving fewer than half, NBC 7 reported.
- Students in multiple schools at that time complained of extremely hot classrooms.