Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • More
    • Feedback
    • Request JHR at your library
    • Research Highlights
  • Alerts
  • Special Issue
  • Other Publications
    • UWP

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Human Resources
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Human Resources

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • More
    • Feedback
    • Request JHR at your library
    • Research Highlights
  • Alerts
  • Special Issue
  • Follow uwp on Twitter
Research ArticleArticles

Air Filters, Pollution, and Student Achievement

Michael Gilraine
Published online before print February 07, 2023, 0421-11642R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0421-11642R2
Michael Gilraine
Department of Economics, New York University. Contact: Department of Economics, New York University, 19 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012. Email: .
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

This paper identifies the impact of installing air filters in classrooms for the first time. To do so, I leverage a unique setting arising from the largest gas leak in U.S. history, whereby the offending gas company installed air filters in every classroom within five miles of the leak (but not beyond). Using a spatial regression discontinuity design, I find substantial improvements in student performance: air filters raised test scores by 0.1-0.2σ. Natural gas was not detected inside schools, implying that the filters improved air quality by removing common pollutants and so these results should extend to other settings.

Keywords:
  • Air Pollution
  • Human Capital
  • Air Filters
  • Spatial Regression Discontinuity
  • Cost Effectiveness
JEL codes:
  • I10
  • I21
  • I24
  • I28

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of Human Resources: 58 (5)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 58, Issue 5
1 Sep 2023
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Human Resources.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Air Filters, Pollution, and Student Achievement
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Human Resources
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Human Resources web site.
Citation Tools
Air Filters, Pollution, and Student Achievement
Michael Gilraine
Journal of Human Resources Feb 2023, 0421-11642R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0421-11642R2

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Air Filters, Pollution, and Student Achievement
Michael Gilraine
Journal of Human Resources Feb 2023, 0421-11642R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0421-11642R2
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Taken by Storm
  • Selection into Identification in Fixed Effects Models, with Application to Head Start
  • Dynamics of the Gender Gap in High Math Achievement
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • air pollution
  • human capital
  • Air Filters
  • Spatial Regression Discontinuity
  • Cost Effectiveness
  • I10
  • I21
  • I24
  • I28
UWP

© 2023 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire