Educators identify rising supply costs and time as challenges for back to school, according to a Horace Mann survey

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 6, 2024 – Planning for the back-to-school season starts long before educators even step foot in their classrooms each fall, with many educators reporting they use unpaid time during their summer vacations to get ready. For many educators, this means using their own money to ensure their classrooms have the necessary supplies and resources. A Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE:HMN) survey of America’s public K-12 educators showed educators are worried about the rising cost of supplies and having enough time to prep before school begins. 

Stocking classrooms has become more costly due to rising costs and inflation – and educators are footing the bill. A quarter of the teachers surveyed by Horace Mann said they spend more than $500 of their own money on classroom supplies and resources each year. Another 25% spend more than $300. According to the National Education Association 2024 Educator Pay Data, when adjusted for inflation, on average, teachers are making less than they did 10 years ago, which only adds to their financial pressures. 

“One of my challenges is balancing my personal budget so I have money to buy supplies for the kids and food for me,” said a high school teacher from Nashville, North Carolina. 

Teachers are also in a race against time and feel they must prepare their classrooms early to allow time to adjust for curriculum changes, familiarize themselves with new student lists, create lesson plans and attend back-to-school workshops and meetings. Many teachers contend there just isn’t enough time in the couple of weeks before students begin to get it all done.

“Elementary teachers spend many, many unpaid hours working to get ready for the school year,” shared one grade school teacher surveyed from Wyoming, Michigan. “I work for free, so the kids have a working, stocked, functional classroom on the first day of school.” 

When asked what would be beneficial for their return to school, educators’ top responses were money, gift cards/supplies and time to plan. 

Horace Mann’s “Set for Success” Sweepstakes will give educators a chance to win some of the resources they need for a successful school year. “Set for Success” kicked off on Aug. 5 and runs through Sept. 6. Horace Mann will give 100 educators a $250 gift card to either Amazon or Target, and 25 of the winners’ schools will be chosen to win $1,000 to welcome their teachers back to school and celebrate the start of a new year. For more details on how to enter go to www.horacemann.com/giveaways, contact a local Horace Mann agent or call 833-422-2559.

Survey methodology

The Horace Mann Educator Advisory Panel data is from a nationally representative survey of 1,200 U.S. educators, including public school K-12 teachers, administrators and support personnel. It was fielded in June of 2024.