This week, teachers, school leaders, community organizations, philanthropic organizations, policymakers, and parents joined The Mind Trust for an evening of celebration and recognition of the progress Indianapolis has made in education over the past nearly two decades. The energy in the room was high but the message was clear: we have made tremendous progress when it comes to K-12 education outcomes, but we have much more work to do. During the evening, Former Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said that every student – regardless of income, race, or zip code – deserve access to a well-rounded education, including a rigorous curriculum and social and emotional supports. And while […]

Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. A well-educated population is critical to the vitality of Indianapolis and the continuing global competitiveness of the city and our state. Unfortunately, too many K-12 students in Indianapolis do not demonstrate proficiency in core academic subjects such as math, science and reading. In 2019, for example, only 28 percent of Marion County 3rd through 8th graders earned a passing score on both the math and English language arts sections of the statewide assessment, ILEARN. In addition, employers report that they continue to struggle to identify a sufficient supply of skilled talent to fill available job openings. In […]