Advancement to Candidacy Presentation: “Heat-Humidity Exposure and Teacher Effectiveness”, Sofia Olguin, University of California, Santa Barbara

Speaker

Sofia Olguin, University of California, Santa Barbara

Biography

Sofía Olguín is a Ph.D. student in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in economics from Universidad Nacional de Tucumán in Argentina, where she also pursued graduate-level studies. Her research interests include environmental economics, economics of education, and development economics, and she aims for her work to inform public policy and help address social and economic inequalities.

Title

“Heat-Humidity Exposure and Teacher Effectiveness”

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of contemporaneous exposure to heat-humidity on teacher effectiveness in early-grade classrooms. Using teacher-level data from a randomized experiment in Ecuador, which followed a cohort of students from 2012 to 2018, we assess how environmental conditions influence teacher behavior. Teacher effectiveness is measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). We find that higher temperatures are associated with declines in socio-emotional support, while instructional support is only affected at more extreme temperatures. These findings highlight the importance of considering environmental factors when designing policies to support effective teaching.

JEL Codes: Q54, I21

Keywords: Heat, Humidity, Teacher Effectiveness

Event Details

Sofia will be presenting her Advancement to Candidacy paper, “Heat-Humidity Exposure and Teacher Effectiveness”. To access the Advancement paper, you must have an active UCSB NetID and password.

PLEASE DO NOT CIRCULATE, PRELIMINARY WORK