Alex Cohen is the Director of Learning and Evaluation for the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. As policymakers and others identify ways to address the opioid epidemic, a key tactic has been limiting opioid prescribing and promoting alternative pain remedies. Marijuana is one alternative that has been widely discussed, especially in light of the expansion of laws the allow medical use of marijuana and, recently, recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older. An impetus for these laws has been marijuana’s potential for pain relief. The expansion of medical and adult-use marijuana laws over time provides a unique opportunity to understand the impact of increased access to marijuana on opioid […]

Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. Last week, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce released a report commissioned from Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research, which found that students in small school districts have lower academic achievement results than students in larger districts. The study’s authors point to resource constraints at small districts – defined as districts with enrollment of less than 2,000 students – that limit their ability to offer a broader array of rigorous course offerings, like AP Calculus and AP Chemistry. 19 percent of Indiana’s public school students are enrolled in districts with enrollment below the 2,000-student threshold, […]