Lake County Gazette

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Lincoln Community High School District 404. The request, made by the Lake County Gazette, sought access to emails and memos from the past year containing specific keywords.

The Illinois-based media organization is known for its comprehensive coverage of local governmental affairs. The keywords in question were "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The Lake County Gazette believes that these records will provide valuable insights into the district's operations and practices over the past year.

As members of the media, we at the Lake County Gazette are committed to gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. We believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals due to our role in disseminating information.

Lincoln Community High School District 404 Principal Mr. Dwight Stricklin (2023) | Lincoln Community High School District 404

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. Furthermore, student-to-administrative ratio stood at an average of 141:1, with a student-to-teacher ratio averaging at 17:1. Interestingly enough, 58% of teachers in Illinois hold a master's degree or higher.

We hope that through our FOIA request and subsequent reporting on these records from Lincoln Community High School District 404, we can contribute further towards transparency and accountability within our local educational institutions.