Illinois Valley Times

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Waltham Community Consolidated School District 185 on January 28, 2025. The request was made by Illinois Valley Times, a media organization committed 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”. These terms are often associated with literacy education programs in schools. The request is aimed at gathering information about the school district's involvement or usage of these programs.

As stated in the request, access to public records is crucial for Illinois Valley Times to fulfill its professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. As a media organization, it believes it is eligible for a fee waiver.

In relation to this story, 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, and the state average Administrative Salary was $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. Interestingly enough, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

Illinois Valley Times continues its commitment to provide comprehensive coverage of local government affairs and will keep readers updated as more information becomes available regarding this FOIA request.