News Releases

With support from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and PNC Foundation, the tool will help early childhood educators address pre-K students’ academic needs. INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 22, 2021 —High-quality early childhood education has proven to close early gaps in academic outcomes based on race and family income. But while Indiana has expanded pre-K funding in recent years, more needs to be done to maximize its power. That’s why a group of early childhood education leaders and philanthropists today announced the launch of a new tool in Marion County – Getting on Track (GoT) – in an effort to improve academic outcomes for all pre-K students, including Black and Hispanic students and […]

New report shows gaps based on race in areas from teacher experience to school discipline and recommends solutions. INDIANAPOLIS (October 12, 2021) — Nearly seven decades after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case ruled that racial segregation in America’s schools is unconstitutional, education outcomes in Indianapolis remain vastly unequal. A new report commissioned by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation finds that Black and Hispanic students in Marion County are likely to experience a disproportionate and chronic lack of access to a high-quality education from birth all the way through college. The data point to racial disparities in education opportunities starting in early childhood. These gaps follow students throughout […]

COVID-19 pandemic could widen disparities as tax revenues take hit, report warns. INDIANAPOLIS (October 1, 2020) —School-funding changes over the last decade have exacerbated inequities in how Indiana funds public schools. Students from low-income communities and public charter school students receive less than their fair share. Funding for students with disabilities and English language learners also is insufficient to meet their needs. These findings are captured in a report released today by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), a nonpartisan research organization at the University of Washington Bothell, and commissioned by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. It offers a comprehensive look at Indiana’s school funding since 2008 property tax […]