On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Knoxville Community Unit School District 202 in Illinois. The request was made by us at Galesburg Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request specifically asked for copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. This request is part of our ongoing efforts to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public.
As we continue to gather and report news, access to public records remains essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. We believe that as a media organization, we are eligible for a fee waiver under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
In relation to this, it's worth noting some statistics about education in Illinois. According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary was $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio stands at 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. Interestingly enough, over half - 58% - of teachers in Illinois have earned a master's degree or higher.
We at Galesburg Reporter will continue to seek out information that promotes transparency and accountability within our local institutions. We look forward to sharing more updates as we receive responses from our FOIA requests.
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