Lake County Gazette

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Villa Park School District 45 on January 28, 2025. The request was made by the Lake County Gazette, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.

The FOIA request sought copies of all emails and memos from the past 12 months that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. The request was made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, with a preference for an electronic format.

As members of the media, we at Lake County Gazette are involved in 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. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe 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. It's also noteworthy that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

The FOIA request aims to provide more insight into internal communications within Villa Park School District 45 regarding these specific topics. As always, our goal is to ensure transparency in local government affairs for our readers.