The Truth
Fact #1
33% of all parents that have school-aged children reported that they expect to go in debt purchasing school supplies this year. That percentage has unfortunately risen over past years from 26% in 2019 to 30% in 2020 and now to 33% in 2021.
Fact #2
15 million children every year are unable to experience a full education due to their inability to access basic educational tools including backpacks, pencils, pens, notebooks, and more.
Fact #3
School supplies in New Jersey have reached an average of $498/year per student. With this exceptionally high rate, 29% of parents claim that they are unable to afford their children's supplies this year.
Credit - Dilworth, Kelly, and Julie Sherrier. “Average Back-to-School Spending Reaches $498, and 33% of Parents Will Go Into Debt To Pay For It.” LendingTree, 9 Aug. 2021, https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/study/back-to-school-spending-leads-many-into-debt/.