On January 28, 2025, we at the Peoria Standard sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Tremont Community Unit School District 702. The request pertains to 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 crucial to gain 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.
We are requesting these records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, preferably in an electronic format. As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver.
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 is 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. Interestingly enough, about 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
Our pursuit of these records is part of our ongoing effort to provide transparency regarding educational policies and practices within our local school districts. We will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information.
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