Independence School District approves weekly tuition increases for early childhood programs
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Summary
The board approved a flat $20 weekly increase across infant/toddler and preschool tuition to help close program deficits; Director Phong Nguyen said infant/toddler programs ran a $2.5 million loss and preschool a $1.7 million loss last year and outlined family-level impacts and reimbursement coverage.
The Independence School District board voted to increase weekly tuition for early childhood programs by a flat $20 across infant/toddler and preschool slots, raising the preschool weekly fee cited from $210 to $230 and moving the district'wide base rates toward market comparators.
Phong Nguyen (S12), director of early education and Head Start, presented a market analysis of 14 programs in the metro area and said ISD has consistently been among the lowest-cost providers. Nguyen told the board the district operates these programs at a deficit and said the total loss last year for the infant and toddler program was $2,500,000 and the preschool program loss was $1,700,000. He outlined family-level impacts, saying families on the district reimbursement plan would pay about $220 more per year for infant/toddler tuition if they used the program every eligible day; families not on reimbursement would pay up to $880 more per year. For preschool families not on reimbursement, Nguyen estimated up to $775 more per year.
Board members pressed about supports for families who might find the increase burdensome. Nguyen said families who qualify for Head Start or state-funded preschool supports should be guided through free-and-reduced-price applications and that some families who temporarily exceed income thresholds can be kept in place to finish the school year under program rules. The board approved the fee increase by voice vote.
