Inflation Pinches Wallets For RI Teachers Buying School Supplies

RHODE ISLAND — The new school year is just around the corner in Rhode Island. Teachers across the state are working hard to get their classrooms filled with all the supplies they'll need to help children learn. But because of inflation, teachers – who often already spend their own money on their supplies – are feeling a bigger pinch on their wallets.

Rachael Poulin, a new eighth grade teacher at Burrillville Middle School, said her school gives her a $100 reimbursement for school supplies at the start of the year, with more possible later in the year. Poulin said she's grateful for that and knows public schools can only give so much.

Still, she has already spent about $250 to set up her classroom and has more shopping to do.

"Buying the paint for my room was over $60," Poulin said. "I'm still going to have to get fans over the weekend to get us through the hotter part of the school year."

"It can be overwhelming setting up a new classroom, especially with how high prices are for everything right now," Poulin added. "But I understand, as a public school, they can only reimburse me so much. There's also other teachers who have been willing to donate things."

Here, Poulin said she's fortunate because a lot of the things teachers donated to her were more common school supplies, many of which have risen in price. According to data collected by NeilsonIQ, school supplies have gone up in price 10 percent since 2021. Things like pencils and scissors cost 30 cents more than a year ago, while highlighters are up 27 cents.

This is where discount stores have helped educators like Steven Richards, a kindergarten music teacher in Johnston. Richards said there is a store in Providence called the Recycling Center, that sells binders, pens, paper and more for 40 cents a pound.

But most of Richards' school supply budget comes from musical instruments, some of which he ends up purchasing himself.

"Trying to build a program on $200 a year is tough, but over the past five years, I've grown the school's music supplies to something pretty decent," Richards said. "Do I have enough boom whackers for every single student? No. Do I let some kids use my personal boom whackers during class so no one feels left out? Yes."

And with the price of goods going up, Richards said he's waiting for Black Friday deals before he makes his next music supply purchase.

"Nothing super dramatic as far as price spikes, but it's enough to limit my purchases from four of an item to three," Richards said. "Plus, I'm a music teacher who uses a keyboard in every class, and if a keyboard breaks, a cheap one is around $600."