Don’t sweat the test! Do higher temperatures affect student test scores? Evidence from Australia’s NAPLAN program

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Presenter: Kevin Pugh | HDR – University of Sydney

Abstract

The potential effects of a changing climate on human capital is only now beginning to emerge. One way to measure this is via student assessment scores: their use as tertiary entry and employment hiring signals suggests they are a suitable proxy for human capital. Several recent studies have established a negative relationship between heat and average scores in high-stakes matriculation/college entrance tests taken by high school seniors (variously in China, South Korea and New York city). I extend this work to explore effects in a wider-ranging Australian cohort, with students aged from eight to fifteen, taking part in a national program of low(er)-stakes assessments. I find negative effects of a standard deviation increase in temperature on test day within the range of recent findings. Effects are greatest for numeracy and reading assessments, which are associated with a decrease in average test scores of 1.9% and 1.6% respectively.

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Important note: This is a hybrid event and will also require a password to access the online seminar. Please email the event organiser – Dave Mc Manamon (dave.mcmanamon@sydney.edu.au) for access.