A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District 196 on January 28, 2025. The request, filed by North Egypt News, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".
As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at North Egypt News believe access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
In our request, we emphasized our role in disseminating information to the public and expressed our belief that we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.
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. Furthermore, it's noteworthy that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
Our pursuit of these records is driven by our commitment to transparency and accountability within local government entities. We will continue to report on these matters as we receive more information.
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