For many educators, preparation for back to school begins weeks—and sometimes even months—before students ever step foot in the building, and they spend money out of their own pockets to do so.
Preparation includes setting up classrooms, purchasing supplies, becoming familiar with curriculum changes, drafting lesson plans, and completing professional development.
Educators from public schools across the nation have identified time, money, and resources as some of the biggest challenges of preparing for the beginning of the school year, according to a recent survey conducted by Horace Mann Educators Corporation, a national insurance company serving educators.
Twenty-five percent of respondents indicated that they spend more than $500 of their own money on classroom supplies and resources each school year. Another 25 percent said they spend between $300 and $500, according to Horace Mann.
Since 2023, teachers can deduct up to $300 of qualified expenses on their taxes.
Additionally, around 62 percent of respondents said they typically start preparing for a new school year over a month before it starts. Close to 19 percent said their preparation begins two to three weeks ahead of the first day of school.
This data was collected from a survey in June 2024 of 376 K-12 public school teachers, administrators, and support personnel across the country. The results generally align with past surveys and federal data on teachers’ out-of-pocket classroom spending.
Survey responses indicate concerns about the rising cost of school supplies and limited time to prepare for back to school. Kelly Ruwe, an agency consultant executive at Horace Mann who taught kindergarten for five years, said this research gave them a “pulse” on the state of education.
The recent survey polled educators on what resources would help them feel welcomed and motivated to start the school year. According to survey results reviewed by Education Week, the resource that most respondents indicated as most helpful was funding for their classroom, followed by welcome back events for teachers and staff with food and drinks, games, and prizes, and free breakfast or lunch for teachers and staff.
When asked what would most benefit their back-to-school season, respondents’ top responses were “money/gift cards/supplies” and “time to plan/in classroom time.” Most educators indicated on the survey that they preferred to get their supplies from crowdfunding via an Amazon Wish List, with others preferring resources like Teachers Pay Teachers, an online marketplace for lesson plans and classroom materials, and DonorsChoose, another crowdfunding platform.
Ruwe said spending personal funds can create an extra level of stress for many educators. She believes the expectation to use personal dollars and unpaid time to prepare for back-to-school stems from educators’ passion for putting their students first.
“They want to make sure that the students have what they need, and they have the vision for their classroom,” she said. “They just have that passion. ... They really want to give students exactly what they need.”
Beyond the educators surveyed, teachers are feeling the strain of back-to-school
Amber Chandler, an 8th grade English/language arts teacher in Hamburg, N.Y., in her 25th year of teaching, did not participate in Horace Mann’s June survey, but shares a lot of the same sentiments as teachers surveyed. She feels the pressure to create a welcoming and exciting classroom environment for students, and to use time during the summer to prepare for the upcoming school year.
A significant component of Chandler’s work during the summer is professional development. While Chandler is compensated for professional development, she also spends a few unpaid hours a week preparing materials in the summer. She said working during summer break is just part of doing the job well.
As of the publication date, Chandler said she has worked 45 hours of “professional growth,” where her district compensates her, and she estimated having spent another 30 hours of her own time preparing for the year.
“We all put in unpaid time,” Chandler said. “Because if you went into teaching, you are probably someone who is almost always thinking about what you’re going to do in your classroom. And if you are inspired to do something on a Tuesday night in the summer, there’s not always pay for that type of work.”
Chandler also appreciates the allotted time during the summer to plan collaboratively with her colleagues and share useful insights for the upcoming year.
Chandler’s summers also involve shopping for supplies and setting up her classroom with new materials. She has already begun the process of preparing her classroom for the fall, including taking stock of the materials she has and taking items home to work on.
“Everybody knows teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies, even those of us who do get some supply money [from our district], ... and I think more than ever that’s become a part of back to school for teachers,” she said.
As Chandler prepares for the first day of school, which is Sept. 3 in her district, she spends funds from a combination of different sources on classroom supplies. As of the publication date, she said she has spent $200 in grant money, and her district provides about $120 for supplies. Chandler said she will likely spend another $50 of her own money.
“I don’t think there’s a teacher out there that doesn’t spend money out of pocket,” she said, adding that many teachers don’t want their classrooms to be generic or “look like a waiting room.”
Although Chandler is a veteran teacher, she recognizes that new educators may have to spend more of their personal time and money preparing for upcoming school years since they are setting up their classrooms and curriculums from scratch. Building all the academic materials and accumulating the school supplies they will use, often for years to come, is no small feat.
“The lift is much heavier in the beginning,” she said, adding that she tends to spend less of her own money on her classroom now that she has amassed supplies over the year. Chandler also said new teachers are having to spend more money out of pocket, with a lower salary.
