{"id":5084380,"date":"2019-08-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlatinonews.com\/back-to-school-teachers-paying-out-of-pocket-for-supplies\/"},"modified":"2019-08-27T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-27T04:00:00","slug":"back-to-school-teachers-paying-out-of-pocket-for-supplies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/ctln\/2019\/08\/27\/back-to-school-teachers-paying-out-of-pocket-for-supplies\/","title":{"rendered":"Back To School: Teachers Paying Out Of Pocket For Supplies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Vicki Adame,<\/a> CTLatinoNews.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

As students return to the classroom, they will arrive with everything from pencils, crayons and notebook paper to calculators, wired headphones and three-ring binders.<\/p>\n\n\n

But often,\nfamilies struggle to pay the cost or simply are unable to purchase the\nsupplies. <\/p>\n\n\n

According to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF),<\/a> parents with children in elementary through high school will spend an average of $696.70 this year. That\u2019s up from the $684.79 spent year and shatters the previous record of $688.62 set in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n

Schools in Connecticut have a list of supplies students need to purchase. The items needed vary depending on grade level. For example, in Wallingford, Dag Hammarskjold sixth graders are asked to bring earbuds, pens and pencils, colored pencils, a small hand pencil sharpener, colored pencils, and highlighters. Second graders at Read School in Bridgeport are asked to bring one pack of #2 pencils, sharpened; two black and white composition notebooks; a box of crayons; glue sticks; a chunky pink eraser; a one subject spiral notebook; and a pair of earbuds.<\/p>\n\n\n

However, 15\nmillion children \u2014 21 percent \u2014 live in poverty in the United States, according\nto the National Center\nfor Children in Poverty<\/a> (NCCP). And their families simply don\u2019t have\nthe means to spend nearly $700 on school supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\n\n

A 2014 Pew Research report found that the poverty rate for Hispanics 17 and younger in the state was 30 percent. <\/h4>\n\n\n
\n\n\n

According to EdSight<\/a>,\nthe total student enrollment for 2018-2019 was 530,612, and Hispanics accounted\nfor 136,756 students in the state\u2019s schools.<\/p>\n\n\n

As a result, the\nburden often falls on teachers to pay for supplies out of pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n

On average, Connecticut teachers pay $500 out of their own pocket in school supplies each year, said Nancy Andrews, communications director for Connecticut Education Association (CEA)<\/a> \u2014 the union representing teachers in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cBut that amount\ncan go up to $1,000, even $1,500,\u201d Andrews said. \u201cMost dip into their modest\nsalaries to spend on supplies. Teachers are always very generous and give of\nthemselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Andrews said that\neven though the salaries of teachers stagnate, \u201cthey always make time for their\nown classrooms and students because they care that much for their students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifth-grade teacher Alison Kirchberger typically spends about $500 a year in her classroom. But the Hopeville Elementary teacher in Waterbury also uses DonorsChoose.org<\/a> to help get funding for supplies and class trips.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re lucky that\nour district does give a budget for the classroom,\u201d Kirchberger said. <\/p>\n\n\n

But the budget\ncovers only the basics \u2014 such as pencils and paper.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cIt goes back to\nwanting what is best for our students,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n

Kirchberger wants\nher students to have the same opportunity to learn and that\u2019s one of the\nreasons she uses DonorsChoose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

This school year she is looking to get funding help to purchase sketchbooks, colored pencils and individual sharpeners for each of her students. <\/p>\n\n\n

In her post\nseeking the funding, she wrote, \u201cMy students also face the adversity every day\nof not having everything they need for success. All of my students receive free\nlunch, and most receive food bags from a local church community every Friday.\nIn my classroom, we focus on being a family. We support each other and are all\nkind to one another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Last year, Kirchberger was able to get 30 sets of headphones for her students to use on the Chromebooks used by students in the class. The funding came through DonorsChoose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

Often the donation\nis made by companies or foundations.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cI really want to\ncreate an environment that is conducive to the students,\u201d Kirchberger said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Vicki Adame, CTLatinoNews.com As students return to the classroom, they will arrive with everything from pencils, crayons and notebook paper to 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