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Indoor air quality and academic performance

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  • Stafford, Tess M.

Abstract

I examine the effect of school indoor air quality (IAQ) on academic outcomes. I utilize a quasi-natural experiment, in which IAQ-renovations were completed at virtually every school in a single Texas school district at different points in time, combined with a panel of student-level data to control for many confounding factors and thereby uncover the causal effect of IAQ-renovations on academic outcomes. Results indicate that performance on standardized tests significantly improves while attendance is unresponsive to improvements in IAQ. Rough calculations suggest that IAQ-renovations may be a more cost-effective way to improve standardized test scores than class size reductions.

Suggested Citation

  • Stafford, Tess M., 2015. "Indoor air quality and academic performance," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 34-50.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:70:y:2015:i:c:p:34-50
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2014.11.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Xi & Zhang, Xiaobo & Zhang, Xin, 2017. "Smog in Our Brains: Gender Differences in the Impact of Exposure to Air Pollution on Cognitive Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 10628, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    2. repec:spr:jopoec:v:31:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s00148-017-0653-0 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Williams, Niall & Zhang, Wei, 2016. "The Effects of Air Pollution on Education and Human Capital: Evidence from Prefecture-Level Cities in China," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, 2016, Boston, Massachusetts 236034, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Marcotte, Dave E., 2017. "Something in the air? Air quality and children's educational outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 141-151.
    5. repec:iza:izawol:journl:y:2017:n:381 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Evan Herrnstadt & Erich Muehlegger, 2015. "Air Pollution and Criminal Activity: Evidence from Chicago Microdata," NBER Working Papers 21787, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Chen, Xi & Zhang, Xiaobo & Zhang, Xin, 2017. "Smog in our brains: Gender differences in the impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance in China," IFPRI discussion papers 1619, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Wei-Bin Zhang, 2015. "Oscillations in a Growth Model with Capital, Technology and Environment with Exogenous Shocks," Academicus International Scientific Journal, Entrepreneurship Training Center Albania, issue 12, pages 73-93, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Indoor air pollution; Academic performance; Human capital; School environment; School facilities;

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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