Air pollution and education in the Global South: Fine particulates reduce high-stakes test scores in Bogotá

Abstract

We use instrumental variables and individual-level fixed effects to identify the effect of ambient air pollution on scores of tests taken by students in Bogotá, Colombia, who eventually attend college. We find that a one standard deviation increase in fine particulate matter reduces overall scores by 8.2% of a standard deviation. Our findings add to the evidence on the effects of air pollution on educational outcomes in middle-income countries, where air pollution is most severe. A meta-analysis of comparable studies suggests that the effects are larger in middle-income versus high-income countries, suggesting that the level of economic development moderates the effect of air pollution on high-stakes test scores.