Ellen Quigley is the Vice President of Programs at the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation An Interview with Scott Bess, Head of School, Purdue Polytechnic High School Background In 2017, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation awarded a $1.25 million three-year grant to support the launch and replication of Purdue Polytechnic High School Indianapolis (PPHS), a first-of-its-kind urban high school model aimed at developing a new generation of talent with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills to meet the needs of an evolving workforce.  Combining personalized learning with project-based curriculum, Purdue University created this model to establish new pathways for Indianapolis’ low-income, under-represented minority students to continue their higher education at […]

Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. By 2025, 60 percent of jobs will require some type of high-quality degree or credential beyond high school. Currently only 43.4 percent of Hoosiers attain a postsecondary credential or degree, meaning nearly six out of every ten Indiana workers are not prepared to take on the majority of jobs that will be available in just five years. Additionally, Indiana employers continue to report challenges in filling positions with qualified applicants. Last year, 80 percent of Indiana employers reported workforce needs as one of their biggest challenges. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that there is a major leak in […]