On January 28, 2025, we at South Central Reporter sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Damiansville School District 62 in Illinois. The request pertains to obtaining copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”.
As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe it is essential to have access to these public records. This will enable us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
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. It’s also worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master’s degree or higher.
We requested these records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, preferably in electronic format. Given our role in disseminating information as a media organization, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We await a response from Damiansville School District 62 regarding this request.
