Teachers Spend Own Money On Necessity Items For Their Students: Report (SLIDESHOW)
Many teachers routinely spend money out of their own pockets on necessity items for their students, according to a nationwide survey conducted byAdoptAClassroom.org.
The organization surveyed 1,188 K-12 teachers from public, private and charter schools throughout the country, and found that the vast majority of teachers -- 91 percent -- reported purchasing things for their students that ranged from food and snacks, to personal care items like toothbrushes and soap.
“This survey of our teachers makes one thing abundantly clear: teachers are not only educating students, but through their out-of-pocket purchases, teachers are tackling major social issues such as homelessness, poverty, hunger and teaching students basic life skills,” said James Rosenberg, founder of AdoptAClassroom.org. “Again and again, we see it happen -- when society lets kids down, it’s teachers who step in to fill the gap.”
According to a news release, more than 15 million children in the United States live in households that can’t provide all the resources they need to succeed in school.Previous research has found teachers spend up to $1,000 each year on these items, a total of $1.3 billion.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the items teachers reported buying for their students, according to the AdoptAClassroom survey results:
