North Cook News

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Prospect Heights School District 23 on January 28, 2025. The request, made by North Cook News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought access to all emails and memos from the past year that contained specific keywords.

The keywords specified in the request were "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The aim of this request is to provide transparency and hold public institutions accountable by reporting news related to these terms to the public. As a media organization, North Cook News believes it plays a vital role in disseminating information and therefore qualifies for a fee waiver as per the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

In light of this request, it's worth noting some key 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 stood at $116,908. Furthermore, 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.

Camron Nystrom Principal of Prospect Heights School District 23 | Official Website

At North Cook News, we are committed to ensuring that such important information is made accessible to the public. We believe that through our diligent efforts in requesting such records under FOIA laws we can help promote transparency within our local government institutions.