With the First Day of School looming, dedicated teachers across the nation are busy setting up interesting classrooms designed to inspire and engage their new students. Unfortunately, many of those classroom extras are funded using money right from the teacher’s pocket.
According to Time magazine’s article “Here’s How Much Your Kid’s Teacher Is Shelling Out for School Supplies,” (August 3, 2016), “The Education Market Association says that virtually all teachers wind up paying out-of-pocket for supplies, and it’s not chump change, either. On average, most spent nearly $500 last year, and one in 10 spent $1,000 or more. All told, a total of $1.6 billion in school supply costs is shifted from parents — or, increasingly, from cash-strapped districts — onto teachers themselves.”
To help, we’ve identified the Top 10 Teacher Discounts available for Back to School 2018 including:
- A.C. Moore: Get 15 percent off an entire purchase with a valid teacher identification.
- Barnes & Noble: Get 20 percent off the publisher’s price for books purchased for the classroom.
- Costco Wholesale: Teachers who sign up for a new membership can get over $60 in savings. Teacher identification is required.
- Container Store: Sign up for the Organized Teacher Discount Program, available until Dec. 31, 2018, and get email notice of sales and discounts.
- Half Price Books: Teachers get a 10 percent discount at Half Price Books when they sign up for an Educator Discount Card.
- Hobby Lobby: Get a 10 percent discount on in-store purchases. You must pay with a check or bank card provided by the school.
- K12 School Supplies: Get a 30-80 percent discount on closeout and clearance school supplies. Inventory is limited.
- Michaels: Get a 15 percent discount on in-store purchases.
- Oriental Trading: Get discounted teaching supplies.
- Scholastic Teacher Store: Get special discounts and sales on books, software, curriculum programs, and teaching resources.
Local Nationwide, New Jersey and Pennsylvania teachers can also get FREE supplies through Treasures for Educators.
Treasures for Educators (TFE). TFE is a Pennsylvania-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to equip classrooms in under-supplied schools in the region — FREE. Since its conception in early 2013, Treasures for Educators has delivered truckloads of donations to teachers and students in Chester, Nationwide, Camden and New Castle counties in southeastern PA, NJ and DE. From pencils and notebooks, to arts and crafts supplies, to books, teachers can claim the items that their students need most.
How to get free teacher supplies through Treasures for Educators
There are some terms and conditions for reserving free supplies with TFE. Available supplies are listed on the TFE Facebook page. Lots are distributed on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in a lot, post your name in the comment section below the photo on Facebook. The first teacher who replies will be contacted. If this teacher doesn’t reply within 2 days to arrange a drop-off, the next person on the list will be contacted and so on. The lot will be listed as “closed” once the items have been delivered.
If you like the TFE page on Facebook or follow TFE on Twitter you will receive notification of supplies as they are listed. Because demand is so high, teachers can reserve 1 lot per week. If a lot is left over from previous week due to a lack of interest, you may have that lot as well.
To learn more or to donate, visit the Treasures for Educators website. After all, back-to-school is just a few weeks away!
Back to Basics Learning Dynamics is not in partnership with, or affiliated with, these organizations, in any way. This post is simply intended to inform Back to Basics’ clients and readers about relevant opportunities for children, youth, and adults.
