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: