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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2024)
Page 4 August 7, 2024 Some Back-to-School Items Needed this Year Teachers Need Help with School Supplies By Beverly Corbell Printer paper, pencils, glue sticks, facial tissues, hand sani- tizers and snacks are just a few of the essential items that classroom teachers must pay for out-of-pock- et each year. Teachers make only 76 percent of the average salary of similarly educated professionals in the pri- vate sector, but must also pay for school supplies. According to the Learning Policy Institute, buying classroom supplies is a hidden cost for teachers. On average, teacher’s annual investment in school supplies rep- resent about 13 percent of their first month’s salary, and teachers in schools with more students from low-income households spent about 20 percent more of their own money on supplies. According to the National Ed- ucation Association, despite low pay and high inflation, most ed- ucators still pay hundreds of dol- lars out of pocket every year for classroom essentials. Teachers spend an average of between $500 and $750 of their own money ev- A teachers helping elementary school students with classwork ery year on supplies their students need, and prices for school sup- plies increased almost 24 percent in the last two years. But that’s on the low end. The NEA site states that teacher Dam- mian Tucker, who teaches special education in Tacoma, spends be- Most affordable tuition in the metro area Small class sizes ors Knowledgeable instruct r Clear paths to four-yea universities APPLY TODAY! tween $1,500 and $2,000 on his students every year. “School supplies, snacks and paper products for my class — it adds up real fast,” he said. And that’s not all, states the NEA. “Out-of-pocket classroom expenses are greatest during the back-to-school period, but continue to add up throughout the year,” the NEA stated. “Ed- ucators report buying clothing, winter gear, eyeglasses, food and toiletries for students, on top of classroom supplies and teaching materials.” That burden on teachers is the reason many agencies, nonprof- its and businesses sponsor school supply drives to reduce back-to- school expenses for teachers. There’s hope for teachers in the form of many school sup- ply drives in Portland, including KGW-TV, which hopes to col- lect school supplies for 15,000 students, which would put a big dent in supplies needed for over 19,000 elementary students in Portland Public Schools. The KGW school supply web- site at kgwschool.com offers several ways to help buy school supplies. People can buy online and have the supplies sent to a specific school district, supplies can be donated at dozens of busi- nesses listed on the KGW site, and folks can also contribute money on the KGW site. The nonprofit Friends of the Children, at https://friendspdx. org/news/school-supply-drive, accepts gift certificates to Fred Meyer, Bi-Mart and Amazon, or cash donations, and provides help in setting up a school sup- ply drive by calling Amy Prince at 971-340-1447 or email at ap- rince@friendspdx.org. Continued on Page 6
