As Classroom Temperatures Rise, Educators Organize to Protect Students and Staff

This 2026 NEA Today article reports on the worsening problem of extreme heat in school buildings and the educator-led responses driving change. With aging HVAC systems failing across the country, classrooms in districts like Fort Collins, Colorado and Wake County, North Carolina regularly hit 80–100°F — impairing concentration, worsening behavior, and triggering health emergencies. Research cited shows test scores drop significantly on hot school days, particularly in schools without air conditioning and in lower-income communities. The article highlights union organizing — including Colorado’s Poudre Heat Committee, Connecticut’s new HVAC grant legislation, and New York’s first-ever maximum classroom temperature law — as the primary path to remediation.