Kane County Reporter

On January 13, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Geneva Community Unit School District 304. The request, made by the Kane County Reporter, sought to uncover the number of non-U.S. citizens currently enrolled in the school district.

As representatives of the Kane County Reporter, we believe that access to public records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. In this regard, we have requested information about how many "migrants" (e.g., illegal aliens/non-U.S. citizens) are currently enrolled in the Geneva Community Unit School District 304.

This request aligns with our commitment as a media organization to provide comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. We have also requested a fee waiver as media professionals involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.

In relation to this, it's worth noting some state-level data from Illinois Report Card for context. According to their report, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary stood at $116,908. Furthermore, they reported an average student-to-administrative ratio of 141:1 and an average student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1. Interestingly enough, they also found that 58% of teachers in Illinois hold a master's degree or higher.

We await a response from Geneva Community Unit School District 304 regarding our FOIA request and will continue our efforts to ensure transparency within our local government institutions.