The High Cost of Going Back to School

For returning students, shopping for school supplies is often an exciting time that comes with fun new accessories—a Cars pencil holder, for example, or Justin Bieber pocket folder.

For struggling families, the back-to-school period is much more stressful because it adds further expenses to already stretched budgets. Hopkins Public Schools estimates that the average elementary school student must purchase about $75 worth of school supplies, not including a backpack.

Hopkins Patch went on a virtual shopping trip to see exactly how much this year’s school supplies cost. Using the list from three grade levels, we headed out to two busy school supply retailers—the St. Louis Park Target off Highway 100 and the Eden Prairie Walmart on Singletree Lane.

The tally quickly grew—even by choosing off-brand supplies whenever possible. Supplies for a Eighth Grader cost about $70—and that’s assuming the student doesn’t need the $95 TI-84 calculator recommended for some math classes.

While all the lists fell short of the district’s $75 estimate, that doesn’t mean its total is off the mark. Families must also prepare for school by purchasing clothes, socks and underwear. And they’ll inevitably have to replenish paper, pencils and other school supplies throughout the year.

The good news is that families on tight budgets aren’t alone. Local nonprofit ResourceWest has organized a school supply drive that will benefit about 1,100 students this year. for full details about what to donate and where to drop it off.

: Eighth Grade

Up & Up

Colored pencils

: Third Grade

: Full-Day Kindergarten

NOTE: Prices were collected Monday at Target and Tuesday at Walmart. Patch recorded the cheapest in-store item available unless a school supplies list specified a specific brand.