Memo: NSEA Supports SB339

In 2019, NSEA supported AB 237 to expand the education personnel eligible to access the School Supplies Reimbursement Account. However, this account was eliminated with the implementation of the new funding formula.

It is well-known that most teachers spend hundreds of dollars every year on supplies for their classrooms. A 2016 questionnaire from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 94% of teachers spent their own money on classrooms with an overall average of $479 spent. Teachers at public schools spent more than teachers at charters or private schools. Meanwhile, teachers at schools with higher percentages of students eligible for free and reduced lunch spent the most out of pocket.

However, many other educators who engage with students also spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket on expenses. Librarians spend their own money on book-related materials and other instructional materials. Counselors spend their own money on mandated lessons and group activities. Speech language pathologist spend their own money on manipulatives and tests. Meanwhile, many paraprofessionals and long-term substitutes spend their own money on many of the same education classroom supplies similar to items teachers purchase for their students.