South West Illinois News

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Steeleville Community Unit School District 138 regarding emails and memos from the past year on January 28, 2025. The request, made by SW Illinois News, seeks access to any correspondence containing the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study."

As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at SW Illinois News believe that access to public records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

The FOIA request specifically asks for electronic copies of all emails and memos from the past 12 months that contain either or both of the mentioned keywords. As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we have requested a fee waiver for this information.

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. The report also indicates that the average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Notably, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

Our aim is to provide transparency about these matters and hold our public institutions accountable. We await a response from Steeleville Community Unit School District 138 regarding our FOIA request.