In this study, we took advantage of the randomized allocation of the US EPA's funding for school bus replacements and retrofits to causally assess the impacts of upgrading buses through the EPA’s national School Bus Rebate Program on attendance, educational performance, and community air quality (PM2.5). Specifically, we used classical intent-to-treat analyses for randomized controlled trials to compare the changes in school district average attendance, test scorers (reading language arts and math), and PM2.5 levels after vs before the 2012 through 2017 lotteries by funding selection status.
Adar SD, Pedde M, Hirth R, Szpiro A. 2024. Assessing the National Health, Education, and Air Quality Benefits of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s School Bus Rebate Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial Design. Research Report 221. Boston, MA: Health Effects Institute.
