Selected State Reports

State Documents

■    How to Secure and Protect Your Social Security Disability Benefits, Developmental Disabilities Protection and Advocacy Board in cooperation with the Department of Rehabilitation Services (January 1984), 12 pp.

During the past few years the Social Security Administration has made a number of major changes in the Social Security Disability (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This booklet can help disabled persons and their families understand the new eligibility requirements, apply for assistance and appeal the denial or termination of benefits. The addresses and telephone numbers of the five regional protection and advocacy board offices are also provided.

Other reports

■    Local Governments Foot the Bill for Funding of Common School, Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois, Suite 506, Jefferson Bldg., 525 W. Jefferson St., Springfield 62702 (Illinois Tax Facts newsletter, Nov./Dec. 1983), 6 pp.

Compared with the nine other leading industrial states, common school funding in Illinois is quite low, and the portion contributed by the state has been steadily declining since 1976-1977. Since local property taxes are reaching their limit at the same time that increased public attention is being focused on the schools, there is growing pressure on the state to review its funding mechanism. A new funding formula was presented to the State Board of Education in September; the proposal, called the resource cost model, deals with many of the criticisms of the present formula. This TFI newsletter is the first of three on Illinois education funding; the other two will deal with community colleges and then colleges and universities. This first article should be read and reread by anyone concerned with the common schools in this state.

Items listed under State Documents have been received by the Documents Unit, Illinois State Library, Springfield, and are usually available from public libraries in the state through inter-library loan.                                    Anna J. Merritt

May 1984/Illinois Issues/41