Kane County Reporter

On January 13, 2025, we at the Kane County Reporter sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to West Aurora School District 129 in Illinois. The request seeks information regarding the number of non-U.S. citizens currently enrolled in the school district.

The Kane County Reporter is a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. 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.

In our request, we asked for the data preferably in electronic format and also mentioned our eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional due to our role in disseminating information.

This request comes amidst an ongoing debate about education funding and resources allocation in Illinois schools. 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. Furthermore, it's worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

As we continue our commitment towards transparent reporting on local government affairs, we await the response from West Aurora School District 129 regarding this FOIA request.