A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Bluford Unit School District 318 in Illinois on January 28, 2025. The request, made by North Egypt News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks access to all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study."
As representatives of North Egypt News, we believe that 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. Given our role in disseminating information, we consider ourselves eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
The specific documents requested will provide insight into any discussions or decisions related to "Lucy Calkins" or "Units of Study" within the school district over the past year. The details of these communications could shed light on various aspects of educational practices and policies in place at Bluford Unit School District 318.
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.
We at North Egypt News continue our commitment to ensuring transparency in local government affairs and will keep our readers updated as we receive more information regarding this FOIA request.