Lake County Gazette

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Community High School District 128. The request, made by us at the Lake County Gazette, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained specific keywords.

The keywords specified in the request were "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". As a news organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe access to these records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

We requested these documents in electronic format under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we stated our belief that 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. Interestingly enough, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

We await a response from Community High School District 128 regarding our FOIA request.