School Year Begins!

Exciting, But Expensive for Many

It’s September! By the time you receive this issue, all of our nation’s school children will have returned to class. Hopefully, this is seen as an exciting time for the teachers, students and parents, but it can also be expensive.

According to estimates by the National Retail Federation (NRF), college back-to-school shopping will be at its highest level—ever. They also estimate that spending for school-age kids will be among the three highest years on record.

The estimates are based on the results of an annual survey conducted in August of each year. The results indicate that around $2.75 billion will be spent on K-12 students, and college student-related purchased will total about $55.3 billion. That adds up to $82.8 billion. The items families purchase range from typical school supplies and laptop computers to school uniforms. (If you want to see the compete survey results, visit nrf.com).

But families aren’t the only people spending money at the beginning of the school year. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released the results of a survey in May that shows that 94 percent of public school teachers spend their own money to prepare for classes. Results show that among teachers who spent any of their own money on classroom supplies without reimbursement, the average amount spent was $479, and the median amount spent was $297. About 44 percent spent $250 or less, while 36 percent spent from $251 to $500.

And that is not all. School Library Journal recently conducted a non-scientific poll on Facebook of school librarians and library media specialists and found that respondents reported they spent between $500 and $3,000 for used books, pens, paper, markers, bins, bulletin board display supplies, and STEM items.

It’s common knowledge that none of these people are making large salaries. At the least, they deserve recognition and our gratitude for their sacrifice. Maybe we should also consider helping them by contributing to non-profit organizations that assist in covering the costs of supplying their classrooms. You can do a web search of “websites to help teachers fund everything” to get a basic list.

A reminder, you can follow me on Twitter, @SPM_editor, and you are always welcome to contact me with your thoughts and ideas at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management September 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Midland ISD Starts Construction on Two New High Schools

    The Midland Independent School District recently announced that it will break ground on two new high schools in Midland, Texas, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects, Lee Lewis Construction, and Satterfield & Pontikes to create a total of over 1.5 million square feet for 8,400 students in grades 9–12.

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

  • K–12 Safety Trends Report Reveals Reliance on Training, Technology

    Wearable safety technology provider CENTEGIX recently released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, according to a news release. The report is based on more than 265,000 incidents during the 2024–25 school year as reported through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, used by more than 800 school districts across the U.S.

  • Creating a First and Lasting Impression with Thoughtful, Sustainable Design

    Clemson University’s Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center serves as the new front door to campus, anchoring the Tiger experience through each step in the student journey.

Digital Edition