On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Westchester School District 92-5. The request, made by us at West Cook News, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study.”
As a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe access to public records is crucial for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
In light of our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as a media professional under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. We are hopeful that this will be granted so we can continue to provide essential news coverage to our readers.
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 look forward to sharing more information with you as it becomes available. As always, our commitment remains towards promoting transparency and accountability within our local government institutions.
