AURORA, Colo. — Back-to-school shopping isn’t just breaking the bank for parents. When August rolls around, many teachers end up reaching into their own wallets to stock their classroom for the first day of school.

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CO teachers say they spend hundreds of dollars on school supplies each year

The average teacher in the United States spent around $895 of their own money on school supplies for the 2024-2025 school year, according to a survey by nonprofit Adopt a Classroom.

That’s why so many teachers turn to community fundraisers and wishlists to fill in those gaps.

Second-grade teacher Christina Medina has been teaching for nearly two decades. She said she’s still making wishlists like this one here and spending several hundred dollars out of pocket each year.

“I spent around $450 last year,” she said. “I want my students when they come into my classroom to feel like it's a place that they belong. It's a place that they know how to work and that the ease of learning is there.”

While some of the supplies teachers buy is to make the classroom more comfortable or make learning feel fun, many teachers said they’re also stocking up on notebooks, markers and pencils to help students stay supplied all year.

“I always have extra colored pencils, extra pencil sharpeners, extra pencils,” Medina said. “I know families are always doing what they can to do to get the school supplies in, but it's not always possible.”

The job is especially hard on newer teachers who haven’t had the chance to build their backlog of supplies over the years and face lower salaries.

A National Education Association report put the average teacher’s salary in Colorado at just over $72,000 while new teachers are making around $45,000.

“I bought a lot more when I was when I was a new teacher,” Medina said. “I actually worked at least through the month of September while I was also teaching. I worked at Home Depot. I had a lot of materials to buy.”

For teachers and families looking for assistance with their school supply stock, check out these resources:

• Aurora Education Emporium
  
  • For Aurora Public School educators only.
  • The portable site is open a few day every month and constantly stocked using donations from Walmart and community members.
  • Donate here.
• Denver Back to School Fest 2026
  
  • The festival on the final day of Denver Days brings community resources and school supplies giveaways to the Westwood Community Center August 8.
  • Denver families can pick up a backpack filled with supplies and get free vaccinations or a haircut.

• Jefferson County Back-to-School Supply Distribution

  • The Action Center is handing out free school supplies to children and families at Everitt Middle School in Wheatridge August 5 and 6.
  • Donate here.
• Salvation Army Backpack Giveaway
  
  • The Salvation Army will give out 1,000 free backpacks on a first-come, first-serve basis from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5 at its Aurora Corps, 802 Quari Court.
  • Donate here.