Technical Appendix for Heat Effects on Student Achievement

This technical appendix provides detailed information regarding the sample, methods, and results of the research brief titled 'Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement.' The study investigates two primary research questions: the impact of maximum test-day temperature on students' test scores and the differential effects on students in high-poverty schools. The data sources include the NWEA MAP Growth assessment database, Common Core of Data for school demographics, and NOAA Climate Data for temperature records. The analysis focuses on fall testing periods, particularly in relation to extreme temperatures. The methodology includes matching test events to temperature data using geographic coordinates and employing statistical models to assess the relationship between temperature and test scores. The appendix outlines the characteristics of the analytic sample, including demographic information and the selection criteria for schools and students involved in the study.