A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Belleville School District 118 on January 28, 2025. The request, made by Metro East Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks access to emails and memos from the past year that contain specific keywords.
The keywords specified in the request are "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The requester has asked for these records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, preferably in an electronic format.
As members of the media, we at Metro East Sun are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential 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.
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.
We will continue our efforts to bring transparency into local government operations and ensure that all actions taken are in the best interest of our community members. We encourage anyone with questions or concerns about this FOIA request or any other matter related to local governance to reach out.
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