National nonprofit releases 2018 classroom spending survey of more than 4,400 teachers
Minneapolis, MN — August 12, 2018 — AdoptAClassroom.org, the national nonprofit that raises funds for teachers to purchase school supplies, released today the results of their 2018 classroom spending survey of more than 4,400 U.S. teachers. Results show that the situation is getting worse, with the average teacher spending $740 of their own money each year on classroom supplies, an increase of more than 23 percent when compared to a 2015 survey by the nonprofit. Twenty-eight percent of teachers spend more than $1,000 annually. This number has increased by eight percent since the 2015 survey.
The survey found that 96 percent, up from 91 percent, of U.S. teachers purchase school materials for their students. Basic classroom supplies such as writing tools and notebooks are the most common purchases teachers make out of pocket with many of their students coming to class lacking these fundamental materials. More than 92 percent of teachers have students whose families cannot afford to purchase any school supplies for their children.
According to the survey, teachers have an average classroom budget of $212 that is provided by their school district. Most teachers reported they are not expecting an increase in their budget for the upcoming school year. More than 92 percent of teachers believe their out-of-pocket classroom spending will either stay the same or increase when compared to what they spent during the last school year.
“Teachers spending exorbitant amounts of their own money on classroom supplies is something we’ve seen since our organization was founded 20 years ago,” said AdoptAClassroom.org Executive Director Ann Pifer. “As school and classroom budgets continue to shrink, the financial burden placed on our nation’s underfunded teachers is growing. Our survey findings support what we are hearing from teachers everyday who look to us to help provide needed supplies for their students so they can learn and succeed.”
AdoptAClassroom.org is celebrating 20 years of connecting individual donors and corporate sponsors with classrooms in need. Since 1998, the nonprofit has raised more than $35 million in support of teachers and their students.
About AdoptAClassroom.org
AdoptAClassroom.org advances equity in education by powering today’s classrooms to prepare tomorrow’s graduates. The national, award-winning 501(c)(3), makes it easy for individual donors and corporate sponsors to donate funds to K-12 classrooms in public, private and charter schools throughout the U.S. On average, teachers spend $740 of their own money each year to equip their classrooms – 28% of teachers spend more than $1000 annually. Since 1998 AdoptAClassroom.org has raised more than $36 million and benefited 4.5 million students in more than 200,000 classrooms. 2018 marks the organization’s 20th year supporting teachers and classrooms. AdoptAClassroom.org holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. For more information, or to adopt a classroom, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org.
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