Back to school spending: Bay Area families face record costs as students return
Bay Area families facing rising school costs
Getting children ready for the new school year is costing families more than ever. FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - It's the first day back at school for students across the Tampa Bay area, including thousands of students in Hillsborough County. For families, the return to the classroom also comes with the cost of getting students ready for a new school year.
Tampa Bay school costs
What we know:
School supplies, clothing and electronics are among the expenses families are facing as prices continue to increase.
Recent national studies show families are spending more than $800 on back-to-school purchases, with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ estimate approaching $1,000.
Nearly half of families surveyed said they planned to spend more this year than they did last year.
The National Retail Federation expects total back-to-school spending nationwide to reach more than $43 billion, which would be the highest total ever.
Local education official response
What they're saying:
Hillsborough County Superintendent Van Ayres says helping families get what they need for the school year remains a priority.
"We try to take care of our teachers with supplies, but you know, I think our Tampa Bay area does a good job. We rally around back to school," Ayres said.
Ayres pointed to a recent back-to-school bash held with Thaddeus Bullard and the Bullard Family Foundation that provided 30,000 backpacks and school supplies to families. He says community support is especially important because the cost of preparing for school goes beyond supplies.
"Realizing that it is a cost to get back to school and that's not even including the back-to-school outfits," Ayres said.
The National Retail Federation says families have been looking for ways to save throughout the summer. More than half of shoppers said they took advantage of major sales events, including Amazon Prime Day and deal events at retailers such as Walmart and Target.
Back to school shopping
What you can do:
Florida's back-to-school sales tax holiday is also underway. Many qualifying school supplies, clothing and other items are tax-free through Aug. 20.
For families across the Tampa Bay area, the first day of school marks the start of a new academic year while also bringing the financial reality of getting students ready for the classroom.
The Source: Information for this story came from reports and surveys from PWC and the National Retail Federation, along with an interview with Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Van Ayres.