Dangerous heat has schools closing early in many Chicago area communities

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- The blazing hot temperatures Tuesday forced many local school districts to come up with last-minute early dismissal plans.

Highland Park-based North Shore School District 112 was one of many across the area that had to dismiss students early Tuesday due to the extremely high temperatures in certain parts of their schools.

A robocall went out to parents in the district—which includes Braeside, Indian Trail, Ravinia, Red Oak, Sherwood, and Wayne Thomas elementary schools and Edgewood and Northwood middle schools in Highland Park, and Oak Terrace Elementary School in Highwood. The robocall said the district's five non-air-conditioned schools would be dismissed early, at 1:40 p.m.

"Around 10 this morning, with 85 degrees and 60% humidity in some classrooms— at this early hour, we realized that it was only going to get worse as the day went on," said district Supt. of Schools Michael Lubelfeld Ed.D. "So we made the decision at about 11 a.m. to notify our communities."

Lubelfeld said District 112 warned parents on Sunday that the extreme heat seen Tuesday could lead to early dismissals for their schools without AC.

Meanwhile in Plainfield, School District 202 students were dismissed early after fifth period Tuesday for the same reasons.

A spokesperson said temperatures have varied throughout the buildings, and it is better to send the kids home on Tuesday and let their HVAC system continue cooling things down.

Central 301 in Kane County also shortened the school day, Lyons Township High School had an early dismissal, and an elementary school in Gary closed altogether.

Dr. Lindsey Burghardt with the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University explained why the dismissals can be so urgent.

"Kids are developing in a really dynamic way, especially young children. Elementary-age children, children in preschool are especially sensitive to their environment, because their systems are still developing—and actually, their young bodies heat up more quickly than ours do, and young children don't sweat as much as adults," Burghardt said, "and so it's really important when it comes to older buildings that aren't adapted to handle higher temperatures."

Burghardt added that extreme heat can have long-term effects on children as they're learning too.

"Heat affects them in the moment, but it actually affects young children across their life course, and so the impacts of learning on hot school days or closure of that one school day—it doesn't stop with that day, actually," Burghardt said. "Learning in school environments that are hot, taking tests on days that are hot—we see the impacts of that in learning and health for years to come."

Burghardt said is not a specific temperature threshold for schools to close, because not all students have the same access to air-conditioned homes or other facilities outside of school.

Back in Highland Park, District 112 is working on a long-term solution.

"Back in 2022, they passed a referendum that is what we call phase two of our long-range plan, and we're going to completely upgrade and modernize more of our schools with the hopes of getting air conditioning and higher air quality across the community thanks to their supports," Lubelfeld said.

When Lubelfeld was asked about a timeline for more air conditioning in schools, he said they hope it will take two to three years.