Peoria Standard

On January 28, 2025, we at the Peoria Standard sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Midwest Central Community Unit School District 191. The request was specifically for 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 providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe access to public records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as a media professional.

This request comes in light of data published by the Illinois Report Card indicating that 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. Furthermore, it's worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

Midwest Central Community Unit School District 191 Principal Dr. Todd Hellrigel (2023) | Midwest Central Community Unit School District 191

Our team at Peoria Standard remains committed to investigating these matters thoroughly and reporting our findings to you, our readers. We will continue to seek transparency from public institutions like Midwest Central Community Unit School District 191 and hold them accountable for their actions.