On January 28, 2025, North Egypt News sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Benton Community Consolidated School District 47. The request pertains to all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”.
North Egypt News is a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability in public institutions, we believe it’s essential to have access to these records.
In our request, we’ve asked for these documents preferably in an electronic format. Given our role in disseminating information to the public, we also stated our eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional.
This request comes amidst ongoing discussions about education funding and resources 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, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Interestingly, over half (58%) of teachers in Illinois hold a master’s degree or higher.
As we continue our coverage on local government affairs, such data will help provide context and understanding for our readership. We’ll keep you updated on any developments regarding this FOIA request.
