Metro East Sun

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Belle Valley School District 119. The request, submitted by Metro East Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained specific keywords.

The requested records are expected to contain two key phrases: “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. These terms could potentially reveal important information about the school district's educational strategies or curriculum decisions.

As representatives of Metro East Sun, we believe that access to public records is crucial 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 have also requested a fee waiver as media professionals.

Belle Valley School District 119 Principal Mr. Rdane Gale (2023) | Belle Valley School District 119

In relation to this story, it's worth noting some recent statistics about education in Illinois. According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary was $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio stands at 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. Furthermore, it has been reported that 58% of teachers in Illinois hold a master's degree or higher.

We await further developments on this FOIA request and will continue to report on matters that promote transparency and accountability within our local institutions.