Philly schools dismiss students early due to excessive heat

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WTXF) - When the early dismissal bell rang at Ludlow elementary school at 1 p.m. the temperature was already in the mid-90s and the heat index was triple digits. Parents couldn't wait to get their kids home.

Similar to around 40% of Philadelphia's public schools, the 91-year-old Ludlow School building has only a handful of window air-conditioning units, leaving much of the school sweltering.

Sheree Thompson, a grandmother picking up her grandchildren from school on Tuesday said, "It's good for the kids because they can go home where it's air-conditioned, because it's really really hot."

The school district's decision to break with precedent and start the year before Labor Day was designed to give students extra instructional time before standardized tests in December and January.

But a day that saw temperatures hitting 80 by the time the sun rose illustrates the gamble the district made. Over the past 10 years, the average Philly high temperature on August 27, the first day of school this year, is just over 85 degrees. In four of the past six years the temperatures topped out at 89 or above.

Parents are less than happy over the situation. One parent, Sam Rosemond says, "I don't know why they started the school year early. It's very hot and to start it off and have these half days, it's ridiculous!"

When the early dismissal bell rang at Ludlow elementary school at 1 p.m. the temperature was already in the mid-90s and the heat index was triple digits. Parents couldn't wait to get their kids home.

Similar to around 40% of Philadelphia's public schools, the 91-year-old Ludlow School building has only a handful of window air-conditioning units, leaving much of the school sweltering.

Sheree Thompson, a grandmother picking up her grandchildren from school on Tuesday said, "It's good for the kids because they can go home where it's air-conditioned, because it's really really hot."

The school district's decision to break with precedent and start the year before Labor Day was designed to give students extra instructional time before standardized tests in December and January.

But a day that saw temperatures hitting 80 by the time the sun rose illustrates the gamble the district made. Over the past 10 years, the average Philly high temperature on August 27, the first day of school this year, is just over 85 degrees. In four of the past six years the temperatures topped out at 89 or above.

Parents are less than happy over the situation. One parent, Sam Rosemond says, "I don't know why they started the school year early. It's very hot and to start it off and have these half days, it's ridiculous!"