Rising costs force U.S. teachers deeper into debt buying classroom supplies

Second grade teacher Demetria Richardson, who works in Richmond, Virginia, has resorted to using a dedicated credit card for classroom expenses. She reports spending over $500 on back-to-school items this year and expects the total to reach around $1,200 by the end of September.

Richardson relies on crowdfunding through DonorsChoose, a nonprofit that allows individuals to fund public school classroom projects, as well as local church donations of backpacks filled with supplies. However, she says these sources do not cover all her needs, leading her and other teachers to pay out of pocket for student materials.

The cost burden on teachers has increased in recent years. The price of many learning materials has risen by about 20 percent over five years. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods and supply chain disruptions have contributed to higher prices for school supplies. Additionally, a temporary freeze of more than $6 billion in education funding by Trump in July delayed schools’ ability to stock up on needed materials before the academic year began. Title I schools serving large populations of economically disadvantaged students were among those affected.

Emma García, principal researcher at the Learning Policy Institute, commented: “It’s hard to understand that teachers have to buy all these supplies for themselves, for their classrooms and for students. I don’t think there’s any other profession in which the professional has to shoulder the supplies or the materials. But for teachers, it’s taken for granted that they will be there, that they are going to do the work no matter what.”

García notes that almost all educators spend their own money on classroom needs. Teachers at high-poverty schools cite not only tariffs and funding freezes but also changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons why they must spend more each year. Many students now return with few or no supplies.

Emmanuela Louis teaches English Language Arts at Miami-Dade County Public Schools and faces similar challenges. Her district provides a $300 stipend for supplies—a sum quickly consumed by basic purchases like copy paper and folders—leaving her responsible for additional costs. Louis estimates she spends between $2,500 and $3,000 annually from her own funds on classroom items.

According to Kristina “Steen” Joye Lyles, vice president of equity and impact at DonorsChoose: “We ran a teacher survey earlier this spring, and we noticed that teachers are spending, on average, $655 of their own money on school supplies for their students and for their classroom. That’s an increase from what teachers reported last year, which was $610.” Without support from DonorsChoose donors, Lyles said teachers would be spending over $1,400 each per year.

Teachers’ personal financial sacrifices extend beyond supplies; some forego new clothing or shoes so they can meet student needs first. Others take second jobs or extra assignments during summer or after hours to supplement their income.

Richardson observes that rising prices have changed what she can provide: “I used to get folders for 50 cents apiece,” she said. “Now they’re almost 95 cents a folder.” Items such as crayons have doubled in price compared with previous years.

Louis reports that uniform costs have also climbed significantly—from about $6–$7 per shirt previously up to $9–$12 now—making it harder for families and teachers alike.

Title I funds are intended to help schools serving low-income communities purchase necessary resources; however, delays caused by federal funding freezes disrupt ordering cycles and leave gaps at critical times ahead of new school years.

Crowdfunding platforms like DonorsChoose provide some relief but cannot fully resolve ongoing shortages or urgent needs when time is short. Richardson explains: “It takes a while for the projects to be funded and then the materials to be shipped to us... If we need poster boards...on Friday...I have to go out and purchase [them]...to make sure all my students have one.”

Jodi Hanauer teaches ESOL at Juniata Park Academy in Philadelphia; she supplements her income with part-time work just so she can afford annual supply expenditures ranging from $500–$1,000—well above what her district stipend covers.

Many educators report parents today send fewer items from school supply lists than in previous decades—a trend exacerbated by economic hardship following COVID-19 job losses—and often arrive without basics like notebooks or crayons.

Despite making numerous personal sacrifices throughout each academic year—including buying snacks so children don’t go hungry—teachers say public awareness remains low regarding how much they contribute financially toward student learning environments.

“So please be gentle with teachers,” Louis said. She urged families who are able to help provide learning materials where possible: “Teachers who pour money into their classrooms…do so ‘out of the kindness of our heart,’ because we really enjoy what we do.”