SAN ANTONIO – Class is officially back in session and with the return of students, many teachers found themselves using personal finances to purchase school supplies, according to a report by the My eLearning World.
On average, teachers across the country will spend $820.14 of their own money on school supplies during the 2022-2023 school year.
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In April, The National Society of Tax Professionals announced an increase in expense deduction for teachers. The deduction increase was set to $300 out-of-pocket classroom expenses that can be stated when filing federal tax returns, but that’s not even half the average amount spent.
Texas teachers collectively spend approximately $298 million — more than any other state, My eLearning World found. According to data from the Texas Education Agency, there are more than 370,000 teachers in the state, so that would put the per-teacher spending average at about $805.
On average, teacher spending this year will look like this:
- Non-consumable supplies (books, software, etc.) – $193.55
- Classroom decor – $172.23
- Consumable supplies (pencils, paper, etc.) – $142.70
- Food & Snacks – $121.39
- Prizes – $119.74
- Cleaning supplies – $70.53
In an effort to avoid spending money teachers don’t have, some are heading towards crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe or making Amazon wish lists and sharing them with their friends and family.