06/01/2026
Most education debates focus on curriculum, class size, and technology. One of the most cost-effective levers gets overlooked because it doesn't fit the usual framework: the air students breathe.
The 74 makes the case well. The standout evidence comes from Aliso Canyon, where a 2015 gas leak led to air purifiers being installed in classrooms within a five-mile radius. Schools just inside that line got filters; demographically similar schools just outside didn't. The result was a natural experiment — and the students in filtered classrooms saw measurable gains in test scores.
That tracks with everything we see in the research: cleaner air means faster thinking, better recall, fewer errors, and fewer absences. It's not a metaphor. It's measurable.
For schools weighing where to put limited dollars, clean air belongs in the conversation alongside the interventions we traditionally fund. It's affordable, it's proven, and the health benefits come free with the academic ones.
Worth a read 👇
Carel: Research shows that test scores and attendance improve when schools install air filters and upgrade ventilation.