Panelists representing different perspectives on school funding will discuss state fiscal policies and their impact on the quality of education that Illinois students receive.

Questions to be discussed include:

• How do school districts plan their budgets?
• Why do local property taxes continue to increase, yet school districts struggle to balance their budgets?
• How do state and federal mandates impact decision making processes regarding property taxes and programs?
• How can the community make a difference? How can we communicate effectively with the decision makers?

The panel consists of experts at the forefront of the school funding reform movement:

Ed Noonan—Cook County Tax Assessor’s Office
Kathy Nesburg—Fiscal Policy/School Funding Issues Specialist, League of Women Voters of Illinois
Dawn Miller—Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB)
Bindu Batchu—Campaign Manager, A+ Illinois
Erika Lindley—Executive Director, Ed-Red