Effects of PM 2.5 on Third Grade Students’ Proficiency in Math and English Language Arts

Casey Mullen, Sara E. Grineski, Timothy W. Collins and Daniel L. Mendoza
Additional contact information
Casey Mullen: Department of Sociology, University of Utah, 480 S 1530 E. Rm 0301, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Sara E. Grineski: Department of Sociology/Environmental and Sustainability Studies, University of Utah, 480 S 1530 E. Room 0301, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Timothy W. Collins: Department of Geography/Environmental and Sustainability Studies, University of Utah, 260 Central Campus Dr #4625, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Daniel L. Mendoza: Department of Atmospheric Sciences/City & Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah, 135 S 1460 E, Room 819, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-21

Abstract: Fine particulate air pollution is harmful to children in myriad ways. While evidence is mounting that chronic exposures are associated with reduced academic proficiency, no research has examined the frequency of peak exposures. It is also unknown if pollution exposures influence academic proficiency to the same degree in all schools or if the level of children’s social disadvantage in schools modifies the effects, such that some schools’ academic proficiency levels are more sensitive to exposures. We address these gaps by examining the percentage of third grade students who tested below the grade level in math and English language arts (ELA) in Salt Lake County, Utah primary schools ( n = 156), where fine particulate pollution is a serious health threat. More frequent peak exposures were associated with reduced math and ELA proficiency, as was greater school disadvantage. High frequency peak exposures were more strongly linked to lower math proficiency in more advantaged schools. Findings highlight the need for policies to reduce the number of days with peak air pollution.

Keywords: air pollution; PM2.5; environmental justice; primary schools; academic proficiency; Salt Lake County; Utah (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6931/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6931/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:18:p:6931-:d:417449

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().