On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Colona School District 190 in Illinois. The request was made by Rock Island Today, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request seeks copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. The aim is to gain access to these public records in order to provide transparency to the public and hold public institutions accountable.
Rock Island Today has also requested a fee waiver for this information, citing their role as a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.
In relation to this, it’s worth noting some key data about education in Illinois. 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 average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Additionally, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master’s degree or higher.
As we continue our mission at Rock Island Today to keep our readers informed about local government affairs, we believe that such requests under the Freedom of Information Act are essential tools for promoting transparency and accountability within our public institutions.
