On January 28, 2025, we at Kendall County Times sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Newark Community Consolidated School District 66. The request pertains to the procurement 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, we believe in the importance of transparency and accountability in public institutions. Access to these records will aid us in fulfilling our professional responsibilities.
In the FOIA request, we also highlighted our eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.
In relation to this, it’s worth noting some statistics about education in Illinois. 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, indicating that there is one administrator for every 141 students. On the other hand, the average student-to-teacher ratio is significantly lower at 17:1. Furthermore, it’s reported that 58% of teachers in Illinois have earned a master’s degree or higher.
The information sought through this FOIA request will contribute towards a deeper understanding of local educational matters and ensure that relevant information reaches our readers at Kendall County Times.
