Macon Reporter

On January 28, 2025, we at Macon Reporter sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Sangamon Valley Community Unit School District 9. The request sought access to all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".

As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe that access to these public records is essential. This information will aid us in fulfilling our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

In light of our role in disseminating information to the public, we have requested a fee waiver as a media professional under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.

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. It's also noteworthy that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

Our request for these records comes with an aim to provide further insight into how these statistics are reflected within Sangamon Valley Community Unit School District 9. We look forward to sharing this information with our readers once it becomes available.