DeKalb Times

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Genoa-Kingston Community Unit School District 424. The request, made by DeKalb Times, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".

As members of the media, we at DeKalb Times 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.

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. Interestingly enough, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

Genoa-Kingston Community Unit School District 424 Principal Dr. Griff Powell (2023) | Genoa-Kingston Community Unit School District 424

This FOIA request aims at shedding light on specific topics within school communications that could be relevant for understanding more about educational practices or administrative decisions within Genoa-Kingston Community Unit School District 424.