A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Washington School District 52 on January 28, 2025. The request, made by Peoria Standard, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".
The FOIA request is part of an ongoing effort by Peoria Standard to ensure transparency in public institutions and hold them accountable. As journalists, we rely heavily on access to public records to fulfill our professional responsibilities. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
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 worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
As always, we at Peoria Standard remain committed to keeping you informed about important issues affecting our community. We will continue to report on this story as more information becomes available.