HOUSTON — Why are Texas teachers especially hard hit this year? Teaching can be a tough job and it involves a lot more than just classroom instruction.
Teachers could spend $300 million on books, cleaning supplies, and food
A new survey from My E-Learning World, an online learning web portal, found that Texas teachers are expected to spend $300 million of their own money on school supplies this school year. That is more than any other state.
Their money is going for things like books, cleaning supplies, and food.
Another recent survey of members of the Texas State Teachers Association found they planned to spend on average $846 of their own money this school year. That is up 15% since 2018.
Most school districts do not reimburse teachers for school supplies, and they are only allowed to claim $300 in classroom expenses on their tax returns.
Texas lost a record number of teachers
That might be part of the reason 70% of Texas teachers in that same survey said they were thinking about leaving the profession. Educators blamed low morale, political attacks, and pandemic stress.
Texas lost a record-setting number of teachers last year and so far, a task force created by Gov. Greg Abbott has made no recommendations for fixing the problem.
State classrooms lost almost 43,000 teachers across the state, setting a new record for retirements and resignations.
The task force is scheduled to meet again next week. As for when the group's recommendations will come out, lawmakers said it should be sometime in March. The task force said it could be even sooner than that.