It’s been 10 days since the official start of fall in North America, and a month since the school year began. It’s a time that conjures cozy sweaters and crisp, sunny days. But that’s not been the case in recent years. As the number of extreme heat days stretches later into the fall, back-to-school season isn’t the same as it once was.

Last year, at least 242 million students in 85 countries had their schooling disrupted by extreme climate events, with the most frequent climate-induced disruptions occurring in September—the start of the school year for much of the world. And looking ahead, the U.S. National Weather Service forecasts much of the country to likely continue experiencing above average temperatures during October.

Only 21% of schools in the U.S. were built after 2000 , m

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