The value of school environmental monitoring in a time of change
Embargo Date
2028-01-14
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Each day, ~50 million children in the U.S. attend K–12 public schools during a critical period of development. Optimal classroom environmental conditions support student well-being and learning. However, aging school buildings, outdated mechanical systems, limited school indoor environmental policies, and constrained budgets are slowing improvements in classroom indoor environmental quality (IEQ). These challenges can be exacerbated by climate change and have potential lasting implications for students’ future opportunities. Real-time classroom IEQ data can help schools identify environmental problems, prioritize upgrades, advocate for funding, and inform heat preparedness plans. However, the vast and complex nature of IEQ data may prevent stakeholders from unlocking its full potential.This dissertation employed a mixed-methods approach to expanding the value of IEQ monitoring in schools with a climate lens, in collaboration with a large public school district in the U.S.
First, we characterized school thermal variability by air conditioning (AC) and floor level using traditional and novel heat metrics, analyzing minute-level temperature data from a first-of-its-kind network of thousands of monitors. Our findings emphasize the critical need for mechanical cooling in classrooms and exemplify how IEQ data can inform school heat preparedness plans.
Next, we quantified the effects of floor level, AC status, and roof albedo on classroom temperature using Bayesian multilevel models, and estimated hypothetical changes in test scores resulting from climate adaptations. Our findings suggest that central cooling systems are more effective at maintaining comfortable indoor conditions and highlight the learning benefits of moving students to lower-level classrooms, installing light-colored roofs, and upgrading AC systems.
Lastly, we conducted interviews with staff members in school districts pioneering IEQ monitoring to identify barriers and motivators for leveraging this data. We learned how this data supports their work and identified limited environmental health and data literacy as obstacles to fully capitalizing on this wealth of information. Suggested solutions to bridge this knowledge gap included artificial intelligence (AI) tools and partnerships between schools and academic researchers.
Together, these findings highlight the transformative potential of classroom IEQ monitoring to expose disparities in indoor environmental conditions, enhance student well-being and learning, and inform school climate resilience plans.
Description
2026
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International