Teachers Spending Their Own Money in Class
Teachers are bridging the funding gap by spending a
considerable amount of their own money in the classroom, according to
a report by the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA).
The tax-paying public may not realize that teachers
are quietly providing necessary supplies and materials for their classrooms.
The study also cited the fact that if the teachers don’t provide
the additional funds for the materials or supplies, the students often
go without.
Here are some of the other findings:
- The nation’s estimated 2 million teachers from kindergarten through
8th grade spend approximately $1.79 billion on classroom supplies.
- More than $1 billion comes directly from the teachers’ pockets
and another $700 million comes from discretionary funds given to them
by their schools or district. Teachers spend 35% more of their own money
than of the discretionary funds.
- On average, teachers spend $626 million out of their own pockets
each year for instructional supplies and $450 million for school supplies.
- The average teacher spends about $520 out of pocket each year, up
from $448 in 1999. First-year teachers spend even more of their own
money – $701 – according to the study.
For more information, go to the National School Supply and Equipment
Association Web site at www.nssea.org.
Posted November 15, 2002