Research brief
The Impact of Severe Weather Events on Education: Revisiting Hurricane Katrina While Preparing for the Next Disaster
August 2025
Description
This research brief raises awareness of the scale and variation of educational impacts from the growing number of weather-related challenges facing U.S. schools. It addresses two critical questions: how does severe weather disrupt schools and affect the people in them; and which schools and communities are at most risk? Findings highlight four key takeaways: 1) Many U.S. schools face major budget and infrastructure challenges related to severe weather; 2) teachers need support to meet students’ varied needs following a weather-related disruptions; 3) a day of school missed after a severe weather event can translate to more than a day of learning lost; and 4) no school is totally “low-risk” from weather-related disruptions.
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Technical appendix for “Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement”
This is the technical appendix to “Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement” research report that examines the impact of environmental temperatures on student performance in math and reading, and whether those effects are more extreme for students in high-poverty schools, where cooling conditions may be less reliable.
Products: MAP Growth
Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement
This NWEA research report examines the impact of environmental temperatures on student performance in math and reading, and whether those effects are more extreme for students in high-poverty schools, where cooling conditions may be less reliable.
Products: MAP Growth
NWEA’s MAP Growth National Dashboard provides timely trends and data on U.S. student academic achievement and growth for grades K-8. This free public tool supports district leaders, state and federal policymakers, and other education stakeholders in interpreting local data within a broader national and state context. It helps identify areas of strength, shine light on disparities, and ground policy conversations in evidence.
Products: MAP Growth
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Equity, Growth
Trend Snapshots: Math Recovery Continues, Reading Remains Stalled in Spring 2025
This short research brief highlights trends seen in the latest data released in the NWEA Map Growth National Dashboard. In this first edition of Trend Snapshots, key findings from Spring 2025 data highlight a modest, incremental recovery post COVID, but stalled progress in reading achievement.
Products: MAP Growth
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Growth
User Guide and FAQ: MAP Growth National Dashboard
This user guide explains how to navigate the MAP® Growth™ National Dashboard, understand the key metrics and terms, make appropriate comparisons of data, and communicate findings responsibly. This guide also includes a robust “Frequently Asked Questions” section that provides in-depth answers about the dashboard and its uses.
Products: MAP Growth
Topics: Growth
Technical Appendix: MAP Growth National Dashboard
This is the accompanying technical appendix to the MAP Growth National Dashboard providing more details of the data and describing more fully the sample and methods used within the dashboard.
Topics: Growth
Family engagement as a long-term strategy for continued COVID recovery
This NWEA research report emphasizes the vital role of family engagement in helping students recover academically from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report synthesizes current research on family engagement, examines the effectiveness of current strategies, identifies common barriers, and offers guidance for how districts can communicate more effectively with families about student progress.
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Equity, Growth, Guidance
