Article summary - What staff spend each year... (did you know?)

What Teachers and Principals Spend Each Year

            In this Education Week article, Madeline Will summarizes a recent Scholastic survey on out-of-pocket spending by teachers and principals aimed at filling gaps in their classrooms and schools. Teachers spend an average of $530 a year; for those in high-poverty schools, it’s $672. Items include: Classroom decorations (76% of teachers); supplies like notebooks, binders, pens, and pencils (74%); food and snacks for students (70%); supplies like tissues, hand sanitizer, band-aids (69%); cleaning supplies (65%); arts and crafts supplies (63%); books for the classroom, especially those that are culturally relevant (56%); lesson plans (43%); lab and project supplies (40%); workbooks and worksheets (38%); technology apps and software (33%); clothing for students (26%); guided reading materials (25%); and classroom magazines (19%). Principals spent an average of $683 a year, and in high-poverty schools, $1,014.

“How Educators Fill Classroom Equity Gaps” by Madeline Will in Education Week, November 30, 2016 (Vol. 36, #14, p. 5), www.edweek.org