Virtual Policy Forum: Protecting Student Health and Learning with Heat-Resilient Schools

The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Ten Strands, and UndauntedK12 invite you to join us for a policy forum. Come learn about the impacts of extreme heat on our students and school communities, understand evidence-based strategies for heat-resilient schools, and gather ideas for impactful policy opportunities in California and beyond.

Extreme heat is a growing problem for California’s schools. Classroom and school yard temperatures can reach unhealthy levels and prevent students from learning, playing, and thriving on hot days. This is especially a problem in certain school districts, as illustrated in a heat mapping tool created by the Public Health Alliance of Southern California and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI). Dr. Kelly Turner will be presenting on her research, policy brief, and factsheets that detail solutions for protecting Californians with heat-resilient schools.

Meanwhile, new federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is available to help schools adapt to extreme heat. Sara Ross from UndauntedK12 will be sharing about how school districts can leverage these uncapped funds to bring in millions of dollars for ground source heat pump HVAC systems and microgrid systems (solar + storage). Both of these options are critical components of extreme heat adaptation in schools while ensuring schools can mitigate the root cause by decarbonizing their infrastructure.

Finally, Jonathan Klein from UndauntedK12 will be sharing other ideas legislators, legislative staff, and agency leaders should consider to adapt to and mitigate extreme heat at schools. Andra Yeghoian from Ten Strands will be moderating this exciting conversation. Join us!