biostudies-literatureDudovitz RNNCATS NIH HHSNIDA NIH HHSNIMH NIH HHS1135-1144https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6350909biostudies-literatureUnknown172(12)<h4>Importance</h4>Although school environments are thought to influence health behaviors, experimental data assessing causality are lacking, and which aspects of school environments may be most important for adolescent health are unknown.<h4>Objective</h4>To test whether exposure to high-performing schools is associated with risky adolescent health behaviors.<h4>Design, setting, and participants</h4>This natural experiment used admission lotteries, which mimic random assignment, to estimate the association of school environments and adolescent health. A survey of 1270 students who applied to at least 1 of 5 high-performing public charter schools in low-income minority communities in Los Angeles, California. Schools had an academic performance ranked in the top tertile of Los Angeles CountJAMA pediatricsAssessment of Exposure to High-Performing Schools and Risk of Adolescent Substance Use: A Natural Experiment.PMC6350909R01 DA033362UL1 TR000124UL1 TR001881K23 DA040733P30 MH058107Kennedy DDosanjh KKReber SDudovitz RNTucker JSWong MDChung PJShoptaw SfalseAssessment of Exposure to High-Performing Schools and Risk of Adolescent Substance Use: A Natural Experiment.<h4>Importance</h4>Although school environments are thought to influence health behaviors, experimental data assessing causality are lacking, and which aspects of school environments may be most important for adolescent health are unknown.<h4>Objective</h4>To test whether exposure to high-performing schools is associated with risky adolescent health behaviors.<h4>Design, setting, and participants</h4>This natural experiment used admission lotteries, which mimic random assignment, to estimate the association of school environments and adolescent health. A survey of 1270 students who applied to at least 1 of 5 high-performing public charter schools in low-income minority communities in Los Angeles, California. Schools had an academic performance ranked in the top tertile of Los Angeles Count2018-01-01T00:00:00Z2018 Dec2025-04-26T11:19:31.42Z2019-03-26T22:42:01ZS-EPMC63509093038309210.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.3074