Teaching Profession

Out-of-Pocket Expenses

By Joetta L. Sack — October 01, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

California Teachers Lose State Tax Credit for Supply Costs

It’s a fact of life that teachers open their own wallets to buy some of the supplies they need for their classrooms.

California was one of the few states where they could get a break: tax credits of as much as $1,500 annually for the money they spent on pens, paper, books, or anything else they might need for their classes.

But because of an ongoing financial crisis, the state has suspended that tax break for the next two years to help balance its budget. It’s a double whammy for teachers, because a $250 federal tax deduction to help teachers defray personal costs for school supplies is scheduled to expire this year and might not be renewed.

The $180 million California program, which went into effect in 2000, offered teachers with four to 11 years of classroom experience tax credits worth from $250 to $500. More experienced teachers received tax credits of up to $1,500.

Many teachers bought supplies for the start of this school year and will now see their tax burden increase, said Barbara Kerr, the president of the California Teachers Association.

“It’s very frustrating that this tax credit, which was an acknowledgment that the state is not paying its share, was taken away in the middle of the year,” she said.

Quality Education Data, a Denver-based research company owned by education publisher Scholastic Inc., released a report last year that found that teachers nationwide in grades K-8 spent more than $1 billion of their own money on school supplies. First-year K-8 teachers dug the deepest, spending an average of $701 for supplies, while the average for K-8 teachers nationally was $520.

The study found that the teachers who were more likely to spend above the average were teachers in predominantly Hispanic schools, low-income schools, and schools in Western states.

“It used to be that they bought extras—some fun books for the classroom, or a CD,” Ms. Kerr said. “Now they’re going and buying paper and pencils and the basics.”

Events

Teaching Profession K-12 Essentials Forum New Insights Into the Teaching Profession
Join this free virtual event to get exclusive insights from Education Week's State of Teaching project.
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession What the Research Says A Personal 'Nudge' Can Get Teachers to Use Student Data in Smart Ways
Teachers are key to effective ed-tech interventions. A new study looks at ways to engage them.
4 min read
Woman using laptop computer.
A new study found that teachers who received more personalized messages about their students’ progress were more likely to review and use student data.
Getty Images Plus
Teaching Profession Crayon Color Picker and Tornado: Teachers Share the Funniest Jobs Students Want
A new generation of students wants new types of jobs. Some of their responses might surprise you.
1 min read
Photo illustration of crayon without a name.
iStock + Education Week
Teaching Profession Opinion Larry Ferlazzo's 6 Reasons Why He Stayed at His School
Why leave a high school where the administrators have fostered a supportive environment and made teaching fulfilling?
5 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Profession Download Principals, Find Ways to Boost Teacher Morale (DOWNLOADABLE)
Our discussion guide for principals has three key findings about teacher morale. Use them to jump-start your team's PD.
1 min read
collage art of upward arrows, data trends, a magnifying glass, and a teacher with students. Boosting teacher morale.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva