SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Teachers are no strangers to paying out of pocket for their students’ supplies, but inflation has them facing new challenges this year.
Teachers are having to buy school supplies, like headphones, backpacks, pencils, pens, and tablets, for their students to ensure that every student has what they need even in times when prices are up and wages are down.
“I don’t like it because teachers have families too,” says Leisa Woolfolk, the Chief Human Resource Officer for Caddo Parish Public Schools.
That’s why both Caddo and Bossier school districts have been offsetting some of those costs through reimbursements, grants, and incentives on school supplies to help combat this issue.
Bossier schools provide $100 each to teachers to pay for materials and supplies; Caddo provides $200.
Teachers are also getting support from local organizations.
“We are dependent on community donations for school supplies to help fill those voids for cases when students families not be able to buy everything on their child school supplies list,” says Sonja Bailes, the Public Relations Liaison for Bossier Parish Schools.
Bailes says although it is still early into the school year, supplies are going out fast, which is why parents are chipping in.
“When they drop off Kleenex instead of buying one box, they may buy two,” says Woolfolk. “So, we do have some parents that will help with that.”
