As summer comes to an end, many of us are thinking about back-to-school supplies. Whether you’re a student going back to school yourself, or you’re responsible for someone who is, you’ve probably thought about how expensive it is to get everything required. Textbooks, in particular, can be exorbitant. The little, everyday classroom costs add up, too. Folders, pencils, pens, erasers, binders, notebooks, scissors … it goes on. Depending on the school district, schools may provide these items for your students. But when schools don’t provide enough (or any) and parents simply can’t get all (or any) of it, what happens? Teachers pick up the bill.
Ever wonder how much teachers spend on average to buy supplies for their classrooms? Thanks to the Economic Policy Institute, we have some hard numbers to look at, broken down by state. The data refers to teachers at noncharter public schools. The costs here are all costs that were not reimbursed; sometimes depending on the school, teachers front the costs and can have some reimbursed later.
The average spent by teachers? A whopping $459 out of their own pocket. Among the highest is California ($664), Michigan ($628), Hawaii ($561), Arizona ($552), and D.C. ($527). On the lower end, you’ll see Vermont ($347), Utah ($364), North Dakota ($327), and South Dakota ($349).
Here’s the graphic of these numbers that’s making waves on Twitter:
When looking at these numbers, it’s important to keep in mind how far the dollar gets you. For example, costs for the same (or comparable) supplies might be a lot higher when you’re in Hawaii versus South Dakota. Also note: In no state are teachers paying zero out of pocket. And that’s a huge problem.
The out-of-pocket costs for teaching can also be a deterrent to low-income people who are interested in becoming teachers. In addition to the low wages (and sometimes additional degrees required), teachers are all too often expected to pay for the supplies they need to do their jobs. Who can afford to become (and stay) a teacher, then? You shouldn’t need to rely on a spouse for additional financial security or come from family money in order to comfortably do your job.
And lest you think it’s as easy as teachers just dropping certain supplies from their lesson plans, most teachers are already operating on tight budgets. How much learning can students really do when they don’t have writing utensils? And for younger kids, (though really, for students of all ages) supplies like scissors, colored paper, and glue can be instrumental in the actual learning. Not everyone learns well just reading from a blackboard. Imagine if this wasn’t a problem for the United States, one of the richest countries in the world?