On January 28, 2025, we at Sangamon Sun submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to New Berlin Cusd 16. The request specifically sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study."
As a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to public records is essential for us at Sangamon Sun. It allows us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
In our request, we emphasized our role in gathering and reporting news to the public. We believe this makes us eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.
The request for these specific documents is part of our ongoing effort to shed light on educational practices within Illinois schools. The keywords mentioned are related to popular educational resources and programs.
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 have a master's degree or higher.
We remain committed to keeping you informed about developments in this story as we continue our mission of providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs.
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