30 years ago, school supplies were rarely required. Today, more and more schools are adding to school supply requirements and parents want to know why.
"Every year I look forward to the smell of Crayolas" says Shirley Stevens from Colorado Springs School District 11 [during a phone interview on August 8th 2008], but nationwide "school budgets have been cut....some schools run out of toilet tissue and soap." Back to school time brings a need for many families to purchase school supplies, however many parents have been questioning the additions made to school supply lists across the country in the last few years.
Questioned School Supplies
Facial Tissues -- Schools are attempting to control germs in the classroom by mandating that students supply tissues.
Paper Towels -- School budget cuts are forcing children to supply classroom cleaning supplies.
Zippered Bags- Students are now taking homework home in zippered bags. Some homework requires items (such as counting exercises) and the homework is less likely to be damaged while sealed in plastic.
Antibacterial Hand Gel/Wipes or Cleaning Wipes -- Due to shortages of cleaning supplies, these items are becoming necessary to maintain student health. Parents are expressing concern about the chemical content of these products and the possible danger of poisoning, to the point that Irving ISD posted an article about the dangers by the Texas Panhandle Poison Center entitled "Cleaning Up The Rumors About Hand Sanitizers" which gives instructions to contact poison control "if hand sanitizer is swallowed (or splashed in eyes)."
Dry Erase Markers and Erasers -- Children are expected to use these to write on classroom boards, and dry erase markers have a much higher cost and shorter lifespan than chalk. One school's solution is to ask parents to send children with an old (clean) sock to use as a dry-eraser to cut costs.
Adhesive Bandages- School budget cuts have forced some schools to share nurses between campuses, and require teachers to handle minor issues in the classrooms. Some schools are running out of disposable nursing supplies.
Tech Items -- In order to support computer literacy, schools are requiring 6th graders to bring USB drives. Scientific calculators are also required by many schools for 6th graders, and children as young as 3rd grade are being required to bring a standard calculator. Richard Henley, a parent with 3 children in Ellicott, Colorado District 22 (during an interview 8/10/08), says "I need to check with my son's teacher to find out why he needs a $180 graphing calculator." Headphones are required in many schools for computer labs and standardized testing.
Cash for Teacher Purchased Supplies -- Some schools are asking for cash so the teacher may buy supplies to ensure all students have the same items. Other classes supply lists of items and additional money to buy classroom supplies, called community or shared supplies, including batteries.
Lab Fees or Locker Fees -- Some schools add additional cost for elementary school art, science and music classes to fund the programs. Some require students to place a locker deposit or rent a locker for the year.
Money for Publication Subscriptions -- Schools are asking for money for periodical subscriptions from students, like this Tacoma, Washington school, which requires 1st and 5th grade students to purchase subscriptions to publications for use in classwork, even though many publications offer class sets to schools free of charge.
Best School Supply
The best school supply on this year's lists is a book for independent reading. Some schools highly encourage every student to obtain a free public library card or ask children to bring books for independent reading. The practice allows students who work quickly to read while other classmates finish work, and benefits the class by reducing disruptions and keeping students productive. Using a library card allows students to obtain the item free of charge.
Help With School Supplies
When parents have concerns about required supplies, the best resource is the school. Shirley Stevens acknowledges that the new school supplies are "a paradigm shift for parents, and it's our (the educators) responsibility to communicate to parents why" certain supplies are needed. Richard Henley urges other parents to "get involved, we (parents) pay for the schools." School supplies are not intended to place a hardship on families. Families that are unable to provide supplies for their child should talk to their child's school, because most schools receive donations of supplies or can refer needy families to resources in their community.
The copyright of the article Parents Question Public School Supply Lists in Classroom Issues is owned by Catherine A. Garretson-Bilnoski. Permission to republish Parents Question Public School Supply Lists in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
