Jackson teachers spend thousands of their own money on school supplies

Jackson teachers spend thousands of their own money on school supplies

Teachers in Mississippi have long paid out of pocket to keep their classrooms running.

In 2012, the state created the Education Enhancement Fund procurement card program to ease that burden, now giving teachers $748 annually for instructional supplies. But for years, the timing of the fund's availability on Aug. 1 left some educators unable to tap into it when they needed it most.

This year, the Mississippi Department of Education made the funds available to districts as early as July 15. While only a two-week difference, the timing of the change matters because for many teachers, classroom preparation happens weeks before students walk through the door.

The MDE announced teachers have made more than 4,000 transactions in its preferred school-supply portal since July 15, and with some districts starting as early as July 21, the early purchases can't come soon enough.

The change of timing comes from years of concerns that teachers were receiving access to their classroom supply money too late, including a 2025 report by the Mississippi State Auditor's office, which found that $17.8 million in Education Enhancement Funds was unavailable to teachers before the school year started.

That fund has reached $25 million, but many teachers, such as Jessica Donald at Mannsdale Lower Elementary School in Madison, said preparing a classroom comes with a familiar expectation of teachers spending their own money to fill the gaps.

"If your EEF money is gone, you just have to purchase it yourself and just do it," said Donald, second-grade teacher. "It's pretty much the norm as a teacher."

The National Education Association found in 2025 that over 90% of teachers use their own personal money for school supplies.

Donald said the state's $748 allocation helps cover most classroom supplies, but it rarely covers everything a teacher needs throughout the year, including reading books, furniture and student incentives. While not deemed essential, Donald said those items are essential to classroom learning.

Donald said she welcomed the state's decision to make funds available in mid-July but worries the new approval process could slow teachers down during one of the busiest times of the year.

"Now there's a lot more planning and preparation involved," Donald said. "Being able to think ahead and just prepare, know what I'm going to need in a month and get that sent in for approval."

The biggest change is a pre-approval process, where teachers used to be able to use their cards immediately at approved retailers.

After completing required training, accepting an electronic affidavit and having their account activated by their district, most purchases are made through ClassWallet, where teachers select approved instructional materials and submit their orders for review.

The requests are checked by the platform itself, local school district program administrators and the MDE, who make sure they comply with state purchasing guidelines before ClassWallet pays the vendor directly. Teachers may also request direct payment to approved vendors outside the marketplace or seek reimbursement for eligible purchases by submitting receipts through the platform.

For veteran teachers, years of accumulated supplies can soften the financial blow. For new teachers, stocking a classroom often means starting from scratch.

Tammy Jasper, a third-grade gifted teacher in Madison County, said first-year teachers can easily spend as much as, or more than, the state's $748 allocation before students ever walk through the door.

"I could see a beginning teacher spending easily over $750 just to get ready for school," Jasper said.

Even with the EEF funds, Jasper said teachers may continue spending their own money on items that become part of their classrooms.

Jasper said her own spending has decreased over the years partly because of the support and resources available at her school and because of EEF funds. But she still spends money on things she believes make her students feel welcomed.

"I do spend money on things like what I call 'happies' for my students," Jasper said.

The Jackson Public School District, located fewer than 10 miles from Madison County, offers the Partners In Education Store, a supply resource where teachers can access materials for their classrooms and students who may not have basic necessities at home.

PIE Director Thea Faulkner said the PIE store has existed for 20 years to address those needs.

"It's a known fact of life," Faulkner said. "You can look and do the research nationwide. Teachers spend quite a bit of money out of pocket."

In Spring 2025, Adopt-a-Classroom found that the average teacher spends $895 per year of their own money on school supplies.

High school math teacher Pam Greer said she would spend more than double that per year.

"The average amount we as teachers spend out of our pocket each is about $2,000 a year," Greer said.

Greer said being able to get a headstart on the school year at the PIE store is essential to keeping her students in class.

"In high school, they are the most forgotten, so they're the ones that easily fall off if you don't invest in them," Greer said.

Like many JPS teachers, Greer said school supplies are more than just pens and paper. JPS teachers told the Clarion Ledger they keep items such as hygiene products, clothing and other basic necessities available for students who may not have access to them outside of school.

Without them, Greer said many students would not come to school.

"We need to be there for our students," Greer said. "If you're absent just because you're on your cycle, or you're absent because Mama didn't wash clothes or 'I ran out of deodorant and I'm scared to come to school,' if our kids know that our schools have these things, they can just come a little early and tell a teacher and go get it."

Along with bearing some of the cost of classroom supplies, Jasper said the emotional demands of the job also weigh heavy on educators.

"If you have a student who has issues at home, you're a person too, a mother too, and all of that goes home with you," Jasper said.

Those emotional demands, as well as low pay, can make it difficult for young people to choose teaching when other careers offer higher pay with fewer personal expenses.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Mississippi teachers had the lowest salary in the nation, according to the National Education Association. Even with a $2,000 pay raise, Jasper wonders if it is enough.

"I don't know how young teachers do it," Jasper said. "How are young teachers doing it all by themselves?"

Jasper said much of the support comes from the teaching community.

"You'll find that we teachers really take care of each other," Jasper said.

Jasper said when she eventually retires, she does not plan to take the years of accumulated classroom materials with her, even though she bought them herself. Instead, she wants to leave those as resources for the teachers who come after her.

"When I leave, I'll probably leave with my purse and my lunchbox," Jasper said.

Mary Evans is a reporter for the Clarion-Ledger. Email her at mcevans@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson teachers spend thousands of their own money on school supplies