On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the La Harpe Community School District 347. The request was made by the West Central Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained specific keywords. These keywords included "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The intention behind this request is to gather information about these topics as they relate to the operations within the school district.
As members of the media, we at West Central Reporter are committed to gathering and reporting news for public consumption. Access to public records is crucial in fulfilling 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, while the state average administrative salary stood at $116,908. Furthermore, it showed that the average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1 and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. It's also worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
We await a response from La Harpe Community School District 347 regarding our FOIA request and will continue our efforts in promoting transparency within local government affairs.
Alerts Sign-up