Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. There’s no question that opioid addiction is wreaking havoc in communities across Indiana, including in Indianapolis. The latest figures show that, in 2016, there were 18.9 opioid poisoning deaths in Marion County per 100,000 residents – which translates into 171 lives lost. What’s worse, a new study from the University of Virginia finds opioid poisoning deaths are likely much higher than official figures reported in Indiana and other states. Two years ago, in November 2015, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation adopted new funding priorities, one of which is to tackle the opioid crisis in Indianapolis. The first […]

Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education released 2017 results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. NAEP, which has been administered nationally on a biannual basis since 1969, assesses 4th, 8th and 12th grade student proficiency in math, reading, science and other subjects. Participation in NAEP is voluntary, except that states that receive federal Title I funds are required to administer NAEP to students in 4th and 8th grade in both reading and math. The latest results show good news for Indiana’s students. 4th and 8th grade […]