A group of Dane County officials told about 30 students the importance of students’ rights and what they’re doing to improve them at a panel sponsored by University of Wisconsin College Democrats Friday night.

In collaboration with Student Progressive Dane, Ald. Eli Judge, District 8; Dane County Supervisor Wyndham Manning, District 5; and Madison Metropolitan School Board President Arlene Silveira discussed tenants’ rights, the funding of Madison school districts and the Overture Center for the Arts.

Judge spoke about a tenant rights ordinance passed last spring. The ordinance requires that landlords provide photographic evidence of damages made to an apartment upon the tenant’s request if the tenant is charged.

Manning said the ordinance gives landlords the right to protect themselves but also gives tenants protection if they are unjustly accused.

Judge said he is trying to develop a website in which tenants can rate their landlords based on specific criteria.

Most students are relatively uninformed about local landlords, and the website will help students and other community members make informed decisions regarding housing, Judge said.

“Many students do not understand their rights, especially when it comes to housing,” Judge said.

On the topic of K-12 education, Silveira discussed the Madison school board’s struggle to find new ways to fund Madison schools without decreasing the quality of education. She added Madison schooling had been affected by the struggling economy.

Silveira said the board tries to provide a learning environment that is flexible and responsive to individual students’ needs, adding the board reached its goal of a 94 percent graduation rate of all students but the black subgroup.

“It’s not us versus them; it’s not those kids there versus our kids here,” Silveira said. “We still see this [attitude] a lot, and it’s heartbreaking.”

Silveira said she considers after-school programming an important part of education, and despite budget concerns, cutting the programs is not an option.

In addition, Silveira said the board is considering the use of community service as a form of discipline in public schools.

“There are a lot of good things in place,” Silveira said. “I feel a lot of hope for the district and the community.”

In response to students’ questions about the state of the Overture Center, Manning said the $28 million construction debt will be difficult to pay off.

Currently, the Overture Center’s assets have been liquidated because they were unable to pay their construction loans back to the banks.

Judge said management decisions and the current state of the economy are largely to blame for the Overture’s problems.

However, both Manning and Judge said they are confident the Overture Center will pull through the difficult economic times.