On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Cumberland Community Unified School District 77. The request was made by us at East Central Reporter, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request specifically sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". This information is crucial for our ongoing investigation into local government affairs.
As a media organization, we believe in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Access to these records will enable us to fulfill our professional responsibilities more effectively. Given our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as media professionals.
In relation to this, it's worth noting some data about Illinois' education system. 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 141:1, indicating that there is one administrator for every 141 students. Meanwhile, the average student-to-teacher ratio is lower at 17:1.
Interestingly enough, more than half of teachers in Illinois hold a master's degree or higher. In fact, 58% of teachers in Illinois have such advanced degrees.
We are awaiting a response from Cumberland Community Unified School District 77 regarding our FOIA request. We remain committed to delivering comprehensive news coverage that keeps public institutions accountable and provides transparency for our readers.
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