Lake County Gazette

On January 28, 2025, we at the Lake County Gazette sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Steger School District 194. The request specifically asked 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, access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

In our FOIA request, we also mentioned our eligibility for a fee waiver as media professionals involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.

Steger School District 194 Principal Dr. David Frusher (2023) | Steger School District 194

The specific records requested are believed to be critical in understanding certain aspects of the school district's operations over the past year. The keywords mentioned – "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study" – are likely related to educational programs or initiatives within the district.

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, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

We believe that these statistics underscore the importance of maintaining transparency in educational institutions like Steger School District 194. As we continue our efforts to hold such institutions accountable through comprehensive reporting, we hope that our FOIA request will be granted promptly.