Kane County Reporter

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Batavia Unit School District 101 regarding specific emails and memos on January 28, 2025. The request was made by us at Kane County Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.

The FOIA request specifically asked for 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 a popular reading and writing curriculum used in many schools across the country.

As journalists, 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.

In relation to this, it's worth noting some statistics 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 was $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.

We await a response from Batavia Unit School District 101 regarding our FOIA request. As always, our aim is to provide transparency and accountability within our local government institutions.