A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Belleville Township High School District 201 in Illinois on January 28, 2025. The request, sent by Metro East Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks access to all emails and memos from the past year containing specific keywords.
The requested documents are those that contain the terms “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study.” As members of the media, we at Metro East Sun are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to these public records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which 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. We await a response from Belleville Township High School District 201 regarding this request.
In related news, 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 141:1, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Notably, over half – 58% – of teachers in Illinois hold a master’s degree or higher.
