As families across Florida prepare for the start of a new school year, many teachers are racing to stock their classrooms with essential supplies — often paying out of pocket to ensure students have what they need to learn.
Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said programs such as the Classroom Supply Assistance Program help provide state funding for teachers in Florida's public schools. However, he said the assistance falls short of meeting the day-to-day needs of classrooms.
“It doesn't go far enough, and it's usually a very complex process for teachers to even be able to get that money,” Spar said. “It also leaves out so many people, like our guidance counselors, our media specialists, the librarians.”
According to the FEA president, teachers in Florida spend an average of $1,000 of their own money each year on classroom supplies. While some purchases include basic items such as pencils, notebooks and paper, others reflect a greater need.
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While many classroom expenses are tied to educational materials, Spar said teachers often find themselves covering students' basic needs as well. Some ask parents to donate snacks, while others keep food in their classrooms for children who may not have eaten at home or who arrive after the school cafeteria has closed.
“A lot of teachers will have snacks in their rooms because we know a kid who's hungry, who doesn't have all their supplies, is likely not going to learn at the high level we want them to achieve at,” Spar said.
Organizations across the state are also stepping in to help. Christine Long, chief programs officer at Metropolitan Ministries, said the nonprofit distributes backpacks filled with school supplies to families in need each year. However, she noted that the program has limited resources and will provide about 1,000 backpacks this school year.
When asked which donations are needed most, Long said supplies for high school students are often the hardest to secure because they tend to be more expensive than those required for younger children.
“Backpacks are the most expensive piece of the whole supplies, but then sometimes they need calculators,” Long said. “It's usually the more expensive items that are the more difficult for families to afford.”
Long added that Metropolitan Ministries has seen an increase in the number of families seeking assistance, driven by broader financial challenges that extend beyond school supplies.
“We have folks that come in for rental assistance or utility assistance, and many of those people are saying the reason they can't pay their utility bill is because they have these long list of school supplies they need to get for their children in order in time for school to start,” Long explained.
Spar said the financial burden placed on teachers affects more than just those currently working in education. He believes it is also discouraging future educators from entering the profession.
“Right now we are losing teachers at an alarming rate, and it's a combination of things. It's the low pay, it's the lack of respect, it's the inability to really meet students' needs where they are because there are so many obstacles in the way,” Spar said.
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According to a 2025 report from the National Education Association, Florida ranked 50th in the nation for average teacher pay among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with an average annual salary of $56,663.
“It would really be nice if we actually funded our schools at the level we needed to, so that our schools can supply a lot more of the needs for our students and not have to pass that burden on to teachers and to families,” Spar added.
Both Spar and Long said community members can help by donating school supplies to organizations such as Metropolitan Ministries, purchasing items from teachers' Amazon wish lists, or contributing directly to classroom funds at local schools.
This story was compiled from interviews conducted by Matthew Peddie for "Florida Matters Live & Local." You can listen to the full interview with Andrew Spar and Christine Long here.
