Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

a year ago

Installing air filters in Los Angeles schools led to significant increases in test scores.
The gains were sustained over time, not just a short-term improvement.
NYU's Michael Gilraine found that $1,000 spent on air filters can raise test scores as much as reducing class size by a third.
The study suggests air filters are a highly cost-effective education policy intervention.
The Aliso Canyon gas leak prompted the installation of air filters, but the schools' air quality was not abnormally polluted.
Math scores increased by 0.20 standard deviations and English scores by 0.18 standard deviations after filter installation.
Cleaner air benefits cognitive performance, as shown in studies involving chess players, umpires, and factory workers.
The impact of air filters is comparable to optimistic studies on smaller class sizes but at a much lower cost.
The initiative could be scaled up quickly and would particularly benefit low-income communities with higher pollution levels.
Further experimentation in other school districts could provide more data on the effectiveness of air filters.

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