According to a new report from the Deloitte Consumer Industry Center, Bay Area parents are expected to spend $805 per child on back-to-school shopping, which is 35% higher than the national average of $597. The largest portion of this spending will go towards technology products, with parents estimating they will pay nearly $700 for computers and other electronic gadgets alone.
The report noted that despite keeping an eye on the budget, nearly six in 10 parents across the country are willing to splurge for the right reasons, such as treating their child, self-expression, or better quality.
Inflation has cooled considerably in recent months, with June’s inflation figures standing at just 3%, the lowest since March 2021. However, school supplies are still 24% higher than they were two years ago, according to Deloitte.
This year’s back-to-school shopping is expected to reach an unprecedented $41.5 billion, up from $36.9 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Karla Martin, a managing director at Deloitte, stated that kids and pets are slightly recession-proof when it comes to spending.
However, not everyone has the luxury to splurge on back-to-school shopping. A 2021 report from the Public Policy Institute of California found that families at the top income level in California earned 11 times more than families at the bottom. In the Bay Area, the wealth gap is even wider.
Heather Lattimer, the dean of San Jose State’s college of education, expressed concern about the impact of back-to-school costs on equity in education. Some parents are able to splurge while others are not.
Some teachers are trying to alleviate the financial burden for students and their families. For example, Douglas Spalding, an eighth-grade science teacher at San Lorenzo Unified School District, collects free, used binders to give to his students who may not be able to afford them. At Bella Vista Elementary School in San Ramon Valley, parents were asked to contribute up to $250 toward a general supply fund. This money was then used by teachers to buy materials in bulk for their students.
Despite these efforts, there are still challenges. Jacqueline Wehe, a fifth-grade teacher, expressed shock at how little her dollars stretched this year. She bought the same supplies as before but had only $25 left for the rest of the semester.
Overall, back-to-school costs can amplify inequity in education, but efforts are being made to address this issue and provide support to students and families in need.