Back-to-school costs spike, tightening budgets for families and teachers

Rising prices for school supplies and related items push the average back-to-school list to about $175—roughly 8% higher than 2025—driven by inflation and tariffs. Families cut back, shop sales, and lean on donations as debt grows; 57% of parents report credit-card debt and many plan to finance purchases with new credit, while teachers also pay out of pocket to stock classrooms, prompting more fundraising as schools struggle to fill gaps.