On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Cypress School District 64. The request was made by Southern Illinois News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA 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 part of our commitment to transparency and accountability in public institutions, we at Southern Illinois News believe that access to these records is crucial for fulfilling our professional responsibilities.
As a media organization, we 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. Interestingly enough, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
We will continue our efforts in ensuring transparency within our local governmental affairs and strive towards providing comprehensive coverage of such matters. We look forward to receiving the requested documents from Cypress School District 64.
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