A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Leland Community Unit School District 1 in Illinois on January 28, 2025. The request was made by us at the Illinois Valley Times, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request seeks access to all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. This information is sought under the provisions of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, with a preference for electronic format delivery.
As members of the media, we are engaged in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is vital for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary stood at $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio is reported as being 141:1, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Interestingly, it was found that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
Our goal is to provide accurate and timely information about local government affairs to our readership. We believe that this request will help shed light on important issues within our education system.
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