A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Harrisburg Community Unit School District 3 on January 28, 2025. The request was made by SE Illinois News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request sought copies of all emails and memos from the past 12 months that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. These terms are related to popular educational resources used in many school districts across the country.
As members of SE Illinois News, 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, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
This FOIA request is part of our ongoing effort to shed light on how educational resources are being utilized within our local schools and how these decisions may impact both educators' work environment and students' learning experience.
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