PARK CITY, Utah — As summer winds down and families prepare to send their kids back to school, parents and teachers say they're feeling the pinch when it comes to the cost of getting ready for a new school year.
Kim Quopp, a teacher at Parley's Park Elementary in Park City and a mom to a seventh grader, said she has noticed the difference while shopping for her family.
“You don’t fill the bag as much this year, it’s a little tighter,” Quopp said.
Quopp said back-to-school shopping for her 12-year-old includes school supplies, along with clothing and sports gear.
“I have a 12-year-old, so he’s in seventh grade and it’s a lot of Adidas, Nike, sports gear, soccer jerseys and then school supplies,” she said.
The National Retail Federation expects families with K-12 students to spend an average of about $864 per child this year. Total back-to-school spending is projected to reach a record $43.3 billion.
For families, though, the challenge isn't necessarily buying more. It's that many say their money doesn't go as far as it used to.
Fellow teacher Shellie Leavitt said she's noticed the difference while preparing her classroom for the new school year.
Leavitt said she recently purchased plastic folders for her students and noticed they cost about $5 more than they did last year.
“I bought some folders on Amazon. The kind I want the students to have. They’re plastic and don’t break. And when I looked at where I bought them last year they were in my cart, they were about five dollars more, so it’s significant. You can see it,” Leavitt said.
For families with children heading to college, the back-to-school expenses can be even greater.
One local family was shopping together Sunday to help their oldest child get ready to start her freshman year at the University of Utah.
“I’m excited. This is my first year. I’m a freshman at the University of Utah, so I just moved into my dorm and we’re getting things set up. So excited for new classes, new people and a new experience,” she said.
Her younger siblings are also getting ready for another school year.
One said she was excited to see friends and meet new people, while another said the first week of school had been fun, although he wasn't looking forward to all the work.
For parents and teachers, the back-to-school season means finding ways to stretch their budgets while still making sure students have what they need for the year ahead.
