Teachers shape what students experience in the classroom, but much of what makes that learning possible happens behind the scenes. From everyday supplies to the broader demands of the job, the realities of teaching are not always fully visible to the people outside of it.
To take a closer look at how these realities are viewed, we surveyed more than 2,400 people across the United States about how much they think teachers spend out of pocket, what a reasonable classroom supply budget looks like, and how they view teacher pay and working conditions. We also compared those perceptions with reported classroom spending data to see where the biggest gaps appear.
From the states with the widest disconnect between perception and reality to how parents view the cost of supporting a classroom, here’s what the data shows about how people understand the financial pressures teachers face.
How Do Views on Teacher Supply Costs Differ Across States?
Even when people underestimate what teachers currently spend out of pocket, their responses suggest they believe teachers should have access to far more classroom funding than they likely do now.
The States With the Widest Perception Gaps
Based on our survey data, these were the states where people estimated the lowest annual out-of-pocket teacher spending compared to what teachers in those states actually report spending on classroom supplies:
- California
- Survey estimation: $432
- Actual teacher spending: $599
- Gap: $167
- Nevada
- Survey estimation: $449
- Actual teacher spending: $587
- Gap: $138
- Washington
- Survey estimation: $367
- Actual teacher spending: $453
- Gap: $86
- Maryland
- Survey estimation: $413
- Actual teacher spending: $485
- Gap: $72
- Louisiana
- Survey estimation: $402
- Actual teacher spending: $473
- Gap: $71
These results suggest that in many places, people know teachers spend their own money, but may not realize just how much that total adds up to over the course of a year. California and Nevada stand out the most, with especially wide gaps between public perception and reported spending. That may reflect a broader disconnect between what it takes to keep a classroom stocked and what many people assume schools already provide.
What People Think Teachers Should Have to Work With
After looking at what people think teachers are already spending, we asked a related question: If schools were to provide a classroom supply budget, what would be reasonable?
Nationally, respondents said $1,028 per year would be a fair classroom supply budget for teachers.
These states suggested the highest annual budgets:
- Oklahoma: $1,299
- Kentucky: $1,268
- Florida: $1,247
- Illinois: $1,241
- Idaho: $1,223
- Nevada: $1,206
- New Mexico: $1,196
- Alabama: $1,169
- Colorado: $1,168
- Indiana: $1,154
This list adds an important layer to the story. Even when people underestimate how much teachers currently spend, many still believe teachers should have access to a much larger classroom supply budget than they likely do now.
Nevada helps show why this matters. While respondents in the state estimated that teachers spend $449 out of pocket each year, they said a reasonable classroom supply budget would be $1,206. That suggests people may not know exactly what teachers currently spend, but they clearly believe teachers should have access to much more financial support than they do now.
Support for School-Funded Supplies is Strong
That idea shows up even more clearly in the rest of the survey findings:
- 87% of respondents said schools should be primarily responsible for supplying classroom materials for students
- 11% said that responsibility should fall primarily on parents
- 60% said the financial burden on teachers for classroom supplies is a large one
These findings point in the same direction. Most people do not think teachers should be left to cover classroom needs on their own, and a majority already recognize that the cost teachers take on is significant. Even when estimates fall short of reported spending, the broader attitude is clear: People see classroom supplies as a school responsibility, not a personal one.
People seem to understand that the classroom supply cost burden is real and that teachers deserve more support than they receive. Next, we’ll look at how parents view these same questions and where their perceptions line up with, or differ from, the broader public.
How Do Parents View Teacher Spending and Classroom Support?
Parents’ responses offer a broader view of how families see teacher support, from out-of-pocket classroom spending to who should be responsible for covering supply costs.
Parents estimated that teachers spend $382 per year out of pocket on classroom supplies, on average. Nationally, the actual average is $482. That means parents, on average, are still underestimating teacher spending by about $100 per year.
Even so, their responses suggest that many parents understand the broader pressure teachers are under and do not believe classroom costs should fall on teachers alone.
Parents See the Strain, Even if They Underestimate the Total
Several of the clearest findings point in the same direction:
- 85% of parents believe teachers are underpaid
- 75% of parents think teachers are overworked
- 9 in 10 say it’s unfair that teachers pay out of pocket for classroom supplies
That combination is telling. Parents may not always know the full dollar amount teachers spend, but many still recognize the larger picture: Teaching often comes with financial and workload demands that extend well beyond the school day. The spending gap matters, but so does the fact that most parents already see teachers as carrying more than their fair share.
Parents Don’t Think Teachers Should be Footing the Bill
When we asked parents to rank who should be most responsible for covering the cost of classroom supplies, teachers landed firmly at the bottom:
- Government ranked first most often (45% ranked it first)
- School district ranked second most often (51% ranked it second)
- Parents ranked third most often (54% ranked it third)
- Teachers ranked fourth most often (72% ranked it fourth)
This is one of the strongest throughlines in the data. Parents are not treating classroom supplies as a teacher responsibility. Instead, they place that responsibility first on larger systems, especially government and school districts. That suggests many parents see classroom materials not as optional extras, but as part of the basic support schools should be prepared to provide.
Parents Contribute, But Many Are Being Asked for More
Parents also reported their own spending on school materials, which helps explain why this issue may feel so visible to many families:
- On average, parents said they spend $198 per child each year on school supplies
- 79% of parents said they’ve been asked by teachers to provide classroom supplies beyond the standard school supply list
That second figure stands out. For many families, the classroom supply conversation does not stop with pencils, folders and notebooks at the start of the year. Being asked to send in extra tissues, wipes, paper towels or shared classroom items can make the needs of the classroom feel more immediate and ongoing. It also helps explain why so many parents appear to understand that the cost of keeping a classroom running often stretches beyond what schools formally provide.
Nearly All Parents Support a Dedicated Classroom Budget
If there is one place where parents are especially clear, it is here:
- 99% of parents think schools should provide teachers with a dedicated budget for classroom supplies
- On average, parents said that budget should be $975 per year
That near-consensus is hard to miss. Parents may underestimate what teachers currently spend, but they overwhelmingly agree that teachers should not have to keep absorbing those costs themselves. And the budget figure they suggested is nearly double the national average of actual out-of-pocket teacher spending, which signals a strong desire to shift that burden away from teachers.
Overall, parents’ responses paint a pretty consistent picture. They clearly believe teachers are under-supported, overextended and unfairly expected to cover costs that should belong elsewhere. Just as importantly, parents are not only acknowledging the problem. They are pointing toward a solution, with broad support for schools to provide teachers with a real classroom supply budget.
Closing Thoughts
Teachers often do far more than teach. This study shows that many still underestimate how much educators spend out-of-pocket to support their students, even as most recognize that teachers are underpaid, overworked and carrying costs that should not fall on them alone. Parents, in particular, echoed that concern and showed strong support for schools providing teachers with a dedicated classroom supply budget. Those findings point to a bigger truth: Strong learning environments depend on giving educators the support and resources they need.
At American College of Education (ACE), that same idea is central to what we do. Through its online education degree programs,* ACE helps current and aspiring educators build practical skills, grow their impact and move forward in their careers with flexible courses and affordable programs designed for busy professionals. For those preparing to enter the classroom or expand their qualifications, ACE also offers pathways in teacher licensure, education master’s programs and education certificate programs, all grounded in the day-to-day realities of education today.
Methodology
To find out what the gap looks like between the public’s perception of how much teachers spend out-of-pocket on their classroom and what they actually do, we surveyed over 2,300 people from 47 states. We asked for estimates on how much they think teachers spend and compared those to actual figures reported by teachers from the National Center for Education Statistics, which reflect national benchmarks rather than state-specific data. We also asked questions to get insight into how they view classroom spending.
We then surveyed 1,000 parents of children in grades K–12 to find out how those perceptions change from the general population. We got further insights into how they view classroom spending overall.
The data is based on over 3,300 survey respondents in total. States not included due to insufficient survey respondents: Alaska, North Dakota and Wyoming.
Fair Use
You are welcome to use, reference and share non-commercial excerpts of this study with proper attribution. If you cite or cover our findings, please link back to this page so readers can view the full methodology, charts and context.
*Select programs may require student teaching, an internship or practicum.
