Video: Study Shows Teacher Pay Out-of Pocket for Classroom Supplies

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Classroom teachers reach into their own savings to make sure their students have the right supplies.

Education Weekly reports that teachers spend an average of $500 a year on their classrooms.

And, the survey says more than $200 of that is personal money. Teachers are spending out of pocket on school supplies, instructional materials and professional development.

This is Karen Calbert’s fifth year in the classroom. The Franklin Elementary kindergarten teacher says she always spends her own money on items that her students need. And, for teachers like Calbert, that’s between $200 to $300 dollars a year.

“I want my students to get the best education possible. So anything I can do that adds to my classroom. If it’s supplies for a center or extra school supplies when we’re running low or just things to help with the upkeep of the classroom are the reasons I do it.”

The Education Week survey of K-12 teachers also finds that when teachers shop for items for their classrooms and personal use, 89 percent of them will go out of their way to shop at stores that offer teacher discounts.