Inside a Walmart in Lumberton, LaToria Oxendine walks down the back-to-school aisle and checked off her daughter’s first grade school supply list.
“She needs a box of tissues, headphones, a water bottle, dry erase markers, glue sticks, work box or a pencil pouch,” Oxendine read off.
Then, there are items for the whole class.
“Zip lock bags, gallon, quart and sandwich, and the wish list is snacks for students and juice,” Oxendine finished.
Oxendine bought most of the items on the list. The price tag: $58. She didn’t buy everything because she got other supplies from local church giveaways. And this haul also doesn’t include shopping for new clothes or other wish list items for the whole school.
All that adds up. She has three kids, daycare and her own community college expenses to pay for.
“But that's why they call it a wish list,” Oxendine said. “They're hoping parents will help out.”
Loss of state funding for classrooms and tax-free holiday shift more costs onto families
Across North Carolina, many schools ask parents to provide items for the whole classroom. These “wishlists” run from snacks to cleaning supplies to items for the school gym.
State representative Julie von Haefen, a Democrat from Wake County and mother of three, said it's concerning.
“We're buying Clorox wipes and zip lock bags and Kleenex and things that you would think that the school could provide to clean the classroom,” von Haefen said. “You know, why do I have to provide that Kleenex?”
The National Retail Federation estimates American families will spend on average $875 this year per household on back-to-school shopping, based on a survey of more than 7,500 consumers. A smaller survey by CouponBirds of 50 respondents in each state found North Carolina families and teachers are spending hundreds of dollars more out of pocket compared to most other states. Von Haefen said she has a hunch why that is.
“Maybe our costs for parents are rising as the state is kind of giving up that responsibility and turning it over to individual families,” von Haefen said.
Von Haefen pointed to two policy changes that happened more than a decade ago. First, state lawmakers cut school funding for supplies by about half. That funding has never been restored. It means schools have less resources to stock their classrooms.
Then in 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly ended a tax-free holiday for shoppers.
Until then, families and teachers could go back-to-school shopping the first weekend in August and not pay sales tax.
“I remember setting aside that weekend to go out and buy all of our school supplies, because it did save families a lot of money,” von Haefen said. “Now families are having to bear that burden, as our school supply lists are getting longer and longer every year.”
Von Haefen filed a bill last year to restore state funding for school supplies, and has co-sponsored another by fellow Democrats to bring back the tax-free weekend in August, but neither bill moved forward.
Support from nonprofits and parent groups impact school supply lists
Parents, teachers and advocates agree the loss of statewide funding has created inequities across schools. Some districts have nonprofits or parent groups that fundraise and provide supplies for teachers or students.
Foundations that support Guilford County Schools, Wake County Schools and other districts fundraise to operate stores where teachers can “shop” for free school supplies. In other districts, parents and teachers must provide more.
Still, the lists vary greatly. The required first grade supply list at Hillsborough Elementary costs more than $150 at Staples, not including wish list donations. Less than 15 miles away, at Carrboro Elementary, the Parent Teachers Association offers school supplies to every family for a suggested donation of $35 to $40.
A few weeks ago, volunteers there gathered in the school auditorium. PTA President Fernanda Ortiz said they use part of the group’s annual PTA budget to buy supplies in bulk online, saving money.
“It's so much cheaper than each individual getting their own materials,” Ortiz said.
Carrboro Elementary serves a mix of students from low-income and high-income families, she said.
“About 30 to 40% of our families are not able to afford these school supplies, so many families choose to donate extra so they can help us cover for those expenses,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz said that makes the whole process of buying school supplies more equitable for parents — and kids.
“Everyone has the exact same materials. There's not like the kid with the cool markers and the kid with the cheap markers,” Ortiz said.
To pay for this program, the PTA fundraises throughout the year. They hold raffles and ask for donations. While the school’s PTA has found a way to share the costs, Ortiz said most of the PTA’s funds come from one source: families.
