A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Pontiac-William Holliday School District 105 regarding emails and memos dated over the past year. The request, sent by us at the Lake County Gazette on January 28, 2025, specifically asked for any documents containing the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".
As a media organization committed to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe access to these public records is essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act, under which this request has been made, allows for such requests to be made in order to promote transparency within public bodies. As a media outlet involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we have requested a fee waiver as part of this FOIA request.
In related news, according to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary stood at $116,908. Furthermore, the average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Interestingly enough, it was found that 58% of teachers in Illinois hold a master's degree or higher.
We await a response from Pontiac-William Holliday School District 105 regarding our FOIA request and will continue our efforts to provide comprehensive coverage on local government affairs.
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