South Cook News

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Ford Heights School District 169. The request, issued by South Cook News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year containing specific keywords.

The two keywords specified in the request were "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The request asked for these records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, preferably in an electronic format.

As representatives of South Cook News, we believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These 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 related news 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 reported as being 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio stands at 17:1. Furthermore, it's worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.