Families using Paradise Valley Unified School District's child care and preschool programs could face fee increases of 18% to 24% next school year as district officials work to address rising operating costs and maintain the financial sustainability of Community Education programs.
The district presented two pricing options during its Nov. 5 governing board meeting: an 18% increase with credit card processing fees passed along to families who choose that payment method or a 24% increase without an additional processing fee.
This was considered a first reading of the proposal and no decision was made. Board members requested additional pricing scenarios before a possible vote Dec. 10.
The proposed changes would affect programs including Mascot Club before- and after-school care, preschool and child development centers serving younger children.
Jill Barragan, assistant superintendent of business operations, said the district faces rising personnel costs, inflation and insufficient revenue to meet expenditures while maintaining its target operating margin.
Updated financial projections indicate a 24% increase would bring Community Education closer to its financial goals, although the program would still fall approximately $60,000 short of its target.
District officials said the programs are funded through fees rather than state education allocations and must generate enough revenue to cover operating expenses.
Board member Amanda Lim raised concerns about the potential impact on preschool enrollment, particularly if higher rates make district programs more expensive than private alternatives.
"I don't think our preschool program at our child development centers is on par cost wise with our other preschool programs now with an increase, so I think those numbers need to be looked at again," Lim said.
Board member Sandra Christensen acknowledged the financial pressures while cautioning against eliminating the higher increase from consideration.
"We have to remember we cannot offer this long term at a deficit," Christensen said. "We have to weigh the budget as well as the needs of the families."
The district also examined expanding sibling discounts across programs. Currently, a 15% sibling discount applies to qualifying families with multiple children in Mascot Club.
Under an expanded discount structure, some families with children enrolled in different programs could receive additional savings. District officials estimated the proposal would reduce program revenue by approximately $30,000 annually based on current enrollment.
Community Education Director Natalie Wilcox said enrollment has continued to grow despite previous rate increases. However, she acknowledged receiving concerns from approximately 10 families who reported financial hardship following the earlier changes.
Some families were offered payment arrangements, while others indicated they would not enroll.
The district also reported 37% of children enrolled in its child development centers are children of district employees, compared with 11% in preschool programs and 9% in Mascot Club.
Board members requested another pricing scenario that could apply different increases to individual programs, particularly preschool offerings that might become less competitive under a uniform increase.
They also asked for clearer comparisons of district rates with nearby public and private providers.
The board is expected to revisit the proposals Dec. 10, allowing time to notify families before enrollment for the 2027-28 school year begins in January.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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