On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Panhandle Community Unit School District 2. The request, made by South Central Reporter, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study."
South Central Reporter is a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. As part of their mission to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public, they frequently utilize FOIA requests.
In this specific request, South Central Reporter expressed interest in obtaining these records in an electronic format. They also asserted their eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional engaged in gathering and reporting news to the public.
This recent request comes at a time when education in Illinois is under close scrutiny. According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary stood at $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio is reported as 141:1, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Notably, 58% of teachers in Illinois have earned a master's degree or higher.
The response to this FOIA request could shed light on internal communications within Panhandle Community Unit School District 2 and provide valuable insights into how educational decisions are made within this district.
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