Lake County Gazette

On January 13, 2025, we at the Lake County Gazette submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Lake Villa Community Consolidated School District 41 in Illinois. The request seeks information regarding the number of non-U.S. citizens, referred to as "migrants" in the request, currently enrolled in the school district.

As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe that access to such public records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

In our role as journalists, we also requested a fee waiver for this information, citing our mission of disseminating vital information to the public.

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.

The response from Lake Villa Community Consolidated School District 41 will provide valuable insight into how many non-U.S. citizens are enrolled in their schools and contribute to our ongoing reporting on education in Illinois.