“How can I use this in my classroom?”
That’s a mindset shared by Robin Palomares, an elementary English-for-speakers-of-other-languages teacher at the Commodore John Rodgers School in Baltimore, and one that she says resonates with many educators as they try to stock their classrooms without spending a fortune.
Teachers have long provided their classrooms with essential supplies and decorations, typically spending more than $655 each year, to create a space where students can thrive.
But this year, with the threat of new tariffs increasing the cost of many imported goods, back-to-school shopping could push educators to spend even more.
In early April, President Donald Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on imports from nearly every nation, with even higher rates for certain countries. Days later, he delayed the higher tariffs for targeted countries by 90 days, before pushing the effective date to Aug. 1.
The Consumer Price Index, which measures the average price of daily expenses, grew to 2.7% in June after rising to 2.4% in May, as some economists say the slight price hike can be attributed to potential tariffs. Despite the tariffs not yet being in effect and ongoing trade negotiations, some companies have already announced plans to raise their prices, citing the looming tariffs.
A recent CNBC analysis found that prices for supplies like lead pencils and art materials rose about four percentage points since the start of 2024. Marking tools increased by more than six percentage points.
To help ease the financial burden, here are five tips educators can use to save money this back-to-school season.
Take advantage of chain and local discounts
From Canva to Michaels, many companies and retailers offer one-time or recurring discounts for teachers. Perks range from news subscription discounts to free meditation services.
Palomares said she tracks sales at chains like Walmart and Staples for items such as pencils, and buys books during her local public library’s book sales.
Utilize crowdsourcing platforms
Amazon teacher gift lists are one popular way educators can supply their classrooms. Teachers can add any Amazon product to their list, share it with their network, and send personalized thank-you notes to people who buy a gift. Amir Ali, a teacher at CJR, said she started utilizing Amazon wish lists in her second year of teaching and shares them with family, friends, and on social media to get most of her items covered.
“I can’t think of a time where I was like, ‘Man, I had to buy this by myself or purchase something on my own,’” Ali said. “To be safe. I’ll say 95% usually.”
DonorsChoose is a nonprofit that sends classroom materials directly to teachers. Teachers can submit projects for things like getting a new rug or providing their students with folders, and anyone can donate money to a specific request. Katie Bisbee, the organization’s chief revenue and marketing officer, said educators have always used the platform for basic supplies, but more are now requesting items to improving classroom environments. Bisbee said without DonorsChoose, some teachers may spend more than $1,400 on school supplies.
“A lot of teachers have what they call ‘care closets’ in their classrooms,” Bisbee said. “For high school students, it could be feminine hygiene products, or deodorant sticks, and snacks. For younger kids, that may be more changes of clothes and snacks.”
Similarly, Get Your Teach On, a professional development organization, created a ‘Clear The List’ webpage where anyone can purchase an item off a teacher’s Amazon wish list.
Palomares, who serves as the DonorsChoose ambassador for her school, said she uses the platform to fund school supplies for her school. When composition notebooks ran out, she turned to DonorsChoose to restock rather than spending her own money.
Reuse supplies creatively
For teachers looking to stretch their dollars even further, finding creative ways to reuse and repurpose classroom materials can make a big difference.
“I’m a big thrifter, so very often, classroom decorations or organizational things come from thrift stores and consignment stores,” Palomares said.
Teachers can also involve students in reusing efforts through competitions—for example, which class can collect the most recyclable materials, Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, an associate editor of MIT Press’ Education Finance and Policy, suggested.
“I have bigger kids now who don’t need multiple boxes of markers and colored pencils that I had during COVID to do the coloring book, so [it] doesn’t always have to be in fashion,” Sattin-Baja said. “There’s a way to make it environmentally conscious and also community building.”
Creative ways to reuse classroom items aren’t limited to school supplies. Ali said earlier in her career she based her classroom around niche themes like bees that she didn’t reuse the following year. She recommends educators get rainbow themed decorations for their classroom, so they can reuse the materials annually.
Tap into your community
Teacher unions, Facebook groups, Nextdoor, and school parent teacher associations (when active) can help teachers find free or discounted supplies before school starts or even year-round.
“I’ve gotten things like brooms or office supplies that way, and then I’ll very often, if I don’t need it for my classroom, I’ll just go put it in a supply room,” Palomares said.
Similar to baby and bridal showers, educators can throw teacher showers to help alleviate the cost of back-to-school spending.
Think twice before stocking up
Still, with prices expected to rise further, some teachers may feel pressure to stock up early. Sattin-Baja advises teachers to weigh that urge carefully, and consider personal finances before doing so.
“I understand the impulse to want to stockpile [the things] you know you need a lot of,” Sattin-Baja said, “but folks don’t necessarily have the money up front to spend twice what they thought they were, trying to avoid higher prices in six months.”
Ali said it makes sense for teachers to stock up on items they’ll use throughout the year, such as pencils and folders, but not buy items that may end up being “junk” in their classroom.
“Everything that you buy should be functional,” Ali said. “You should not just be buying things because they’re cute. That’ll help you save money. You’re going to collect things throughout the school year, veterans are going to be giving away things, you don’t need to spend a bunch of money.”
