Mark Tornga calls himself an “early loser” of St. Louis County’s senior property tax freeze after Parkway School District’s recent early‑childhood fee increases added roughly $930 to his family’s bills. Tornga has two children in Parkway’s preschool pipeline and says the jump in rates, which take effect for the 2026–27 school year, is already forcing parents to reassess where they send their youngest kids. He worries the freeze’s long‑term hit to property‑tax revenue could mean fewer programs and harder choices for students down the road.
What families will pay
Parkway’s early‑childhood fees are set to rise in 2026–27. A two‑day Kid’s Morning Out program will increase by $24 a month, three half‑days will go up by $51 a month, and a full‑time slot with before‑ and after‑care could climb by about $212 per child per month, up to $1,622. Those figures, along with Tornga’s account of the impact on his family, were reported by St. Louis Magazine.
District response and belt‑tightening
Parkway says district leaders are trying to protect staff and student services while shifting early‑childhood programs to be more self‑sustaining. The district’s 2025–26 budget materials cite rising health‑care and purchased‑service costs and project that the Senior Citizen Tax Freeze could reduce Parkway’s revenue by about $26 million over 10 years. To help balance the books, officials say they have trimmed building and department supply budgets, limited out‑of‑area travel for professional development, and cut back on food for district meetings, according to Parkway Schools. The district says it is looking for longer‑term solutions while avoiding cuts to salaries and staff.
How big the hit?
County data show the freeze’s first‑year dollar‑value loss for local taxing districts topped roughly $30 million, and the county flagged Parkway among the larger first‑year hits, about $2.7 million, with Rockwood projected to lose about $4 million, per St. Louis Public Radio. Parkway has also said in a recent district release that it could forgo a minimum of $33.6 million in revenue over the coming decade, a long‑term projection officials warn will grow as more seniors enroll, according to St. Louis Magazine.
Why early education is at stake
Research suggests even small differences in classroom quality can compound over time. Opportunity Insights finds that a single year with a top‑rated teacher can raise a student’s lifetime earnings by roughly $50,000. That evidence helps explain why parents and school leaders treat modest but recurring revenue gaps as threats to teacher recruitment, support services, and enrichment programs that boost long‑term opportunity for students, per Opportunity Insights.
What’s next for families
Parkway has scheduled four community conversations, two in March and two in April, at its high schools to explain the numbers and gather family input. Dates and locations are listed on the district calendar. District officials say the sessions are the start of a wider public discussion about how to preserve programs while managing tighter operating revenue, according to Parkway Schools.
