CHICAGO — Ralph Martire, executive director of the bipartisan think tank Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, will present a critical analysis of public school funding in Chicago and Illinois during an education forum Feb. 11 at DePaul University’s Lincoln Park Campus. Organized by DePaul's College of Education, the forum titled “School Funding Reform: Closing the Opportunity Gap,” will be held 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the Student Center, Room 314, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave.

The forum will offer attendees a deeper understanding of the challenges and possibilities of providing a well-resourced quality education for all children in an era of budget cuts, teacher layoffs and the erosion of programs and services for children.

Martire, who serves on the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence in Education Commission, said: “We must as a nation, and in our states, launch a renewed effort to eliminate the stubborn and persistent resource disparities and inadequacies that drag down American public schools. Now is the time to take the bold and courageous action to make certain that all of our students have access to the meaningful educational opportunities that they — and the nation — must secure.”

In recognition of his extensive research and experience in the area of fiscal management of education policies, Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon has appointed Martire to serve as a technical advisor on matters involving tax, budget and education funding reform.

Martire is a columnist on public policy and good government for the Springfield State-Journal Register and Joliet Herald News. He is also a former financial columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and is tapped as an expert on tax, budget and education policy for WTTW and WBEZ.

The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to dhorwit@depaul.edu. Additional information at http://bit.ly/1iN2o8x.