SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – It’s the first back to school season since the end of the pandemic emergency declaration, and now families are faced with trying to get ready while inflation remains high.
This Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that inflation rose 0.2% in July, continuing a trend that has lasted for more than a year. At the same time, it seems that students are going back to class earlier than ever.
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“I went to a backpack giveaway and some of the parents were saying, oh, my gosh, it’s so early. I wasn’t ready for this,” said Holly Quan, a reporter for KCBS Radio in San Francisco during an interview this week with Mallory Somera of the “Bay Current” podcast.
She said that some people in the Bay Area are even considering not sending their kids to school, since they haven’t had enough time to plan how to get supplies and new clothes for their kids.
“Other people were like, no, just wash the clothes that you have and send the kids to school because they have to learn,” said Quan
According to The Los Angeles Times, families with children in elementary, middle, and high schools are spending an average of $890.07 this year on back-to-school items including accessories, electronics, and clothing. For some, this cost is exacerbated with an end to pandemic-related economic relief measures.
To help families who need new supplies but are struggling to find them at a reasonable price, Audacy found some resources.
GoBankingRates published a list of deals at Target Saturday. These include gel pens marked down 41%, wireless headphones marked down from $24.99 to $9.99 and $20 backpacks marked down to $12.
Families who need to purchase technology-related items such as laptops can check out Wired’s list of back to school deals. It also includes items such as backpacks and phone accessories. Time and CNN both compiled back-to-school deal lists, including clothing sales.
Apart from getting school supplies, school districts, students and families also face other challenges this school year. Somera and Quan discussed some of them, including a teacher shortage and getting all types of learning back on track after long periods of pandemic-related remote education.
“I talked to a community schools manager who said: ‘You know, we have to use recess and teach them how to play,’” Quan explained. “Again, not only do we have to teach them how to play, but we want to teach them how to play respectfully.”
Resources for families ahead of the 2023-24 school year are also available through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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