ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER: Fetal and Early Life Natural Disaster Exposure and Achievement Outcomes

Abstract

Previous research suggests that prenatal exposure to adverse events may have negative effects on various outcomes related to health at birth and long-term achievement. Related literature contends that exposure to stress early in life can have similar effects on achievement. Using county level data on natural disaster occurrence and standardized achievement, this study aims to investigate the effects of prenatal and early life natural disaster exposure on achievement outcomes. This study provides limited evidence in support of the conclusions of previous research on the effects of prenatal disaster exposure on later life achievement. However, this study corroborates evidence from previous studies and supports the hypothesis that childhood exposure to stress in the form of extreme weather events is associated with significant reductions in standardized test scores for fourth- and eighth-grade students.