The city of Berlin and its school district will host a forum Thursday that explains how the state funds public education.
They're calling it: "Save Our Schools: Save Education Funding Now."
Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky and lawyer John Tobin have led three of these forums in other property-poor towns around the state.
The pair were lawyers in the original lawsuits against the state for adequate school funding more than two decades ago.
Earlier this summer, Berlin Public Schools administrators made the two hour drive to Pittsfield for the first of these forums.
They were vocal then about their willingness to sue the State for more money for schools.
Since that June meeting, school enrollment in Berlin is down by nearly 60 students. That means $200,000 less in state aid, on top of losing stabilization grant money from the state.
Corinne Cascadden is the Berlin superintendent. She says she's already thinking about cuts she'll have to make for next year.
"It's not fair to our kids that we aren't going to be able to provide the same level of education. It's just not fair.”
She also wants to raise awareness in the community.
"You're paying for public education, but your public education is in jeopardy of not being able to exist as it needs to.”
Cascadden said property taxes keep going up for residents, but school budgets keep getting tighter.
