Dupage Policy Journal

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to Darien School District 61 by the DuPage Policy Journal. The request specifically sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".

As a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at DuPage Policy Journal believe in the importance of transparency in public institutions. Access to these records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable.

In our FOIA request, we emphasized our role as a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. We believe this qualifies us for a fee waiver as a media professional under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Darien School District 61 Principal Dr. Robert Langman (2023) | Darien School District 61

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 worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

The information requested will provide valuable insight into the operations within Darien School District 61 over the past year. We look forward to sharing this information with our readers as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability in local government.