A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Smithton Community Consolidated School District 130 regarding emails and memos on January 28, 2025. The request was made by Metro East Sun, 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 12 months that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. As part of our commitment to transparency and public accountability, we at Metro East Sun believe that access to these records is essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities.
We are particularly interested in how these terms relate to the educational practices within the district. Lucy Calkins is a renowned educator known for her Units of Study curriculum. By analyzing communications involving these terms, we aim to gain insights into how this curriculum is being implemented in the district.
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, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master’s degree or higher.
As we continue our investigation into local education trends and practices, we hope that this FOIA request will shed light on important aspects of school administration. We also believe that as a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we are eligible for a fee waiver for this request.
Our goal at Metro East Sun is always to provide comprehensive coverage that promotes transparency and holds public institutions accountable. We look forward to sharing our findings with the public once we have reviewed the requested records.
