Teaching: The Only Profession Without An Expense Account

 Dr. Linda Karges-Bone

 When was the last time you spent $23.00 on worms and you weren't headed out to the lake for a fishing trip? Ask third grade teacher Carmen Larson of Berkeley County. She anted up to provide the worms for her compost pile, which was built by her faithful classroom volunteer, her husband. It was the only way to completely and effectively teach the rigorous state standards for science to a group of active, academically diverse youngsters. These pupils have to see and touch science experiences in order to make them viable, especially since a number of them do not read on grade level and cannot rely on the textbook.

And what about reading? During the Martin Luther King celebration period when I visited her classroom, Carmen had an impressive display of books on Dr. King and other African-American history figures and events. Most of the books belong to her personal collection. She figures that the books in her classroom library are valued at about $2000; all purchased from her own account.

Carmen is not alone. When I visit classrooms all over the country in my work as a university supervisor of interns and as an educational consultant, I see hundreds of classrooms that are absolutely amazing. They are full of children's literature, packed with displays of science projects, strewn with colorful art projects, and buzzing with technology. Much of the time, probably most of the time, the materials that make the lessons meaningful were purchased by the teachers themselves. And, here's an unscientific but defendable analysis. I believe that the classrooms in which one sees the highest test scores and the fewest discipline problems are those in which teachers have paid a price to, as one committed educator told me: "Teach the way I want to; the only way I can."

As we consider budgets and ballots in the next election, how much longer can we ask teachers who are paid so little to contribute so much of their own meager salaries to educate "other people's kids?"

What the Experts Say:

The problem of teachers spending their own money on classroom necessities and enhancements is not new. I remember back to my first year of teaching (1981) which was also my first year as a married woman. My husband, the frugal engineer, was astonished to see that I had spent about 15% of my $11,000 salary on "teaching stuff." Those were the receipts that I had stuffed into an envelope, the ones that he saw.

The problem is national in scope and teachers are getting frustrated. In a NYCLU complaint, the American Civil Liberties union brought suit against the state, representing public school teachers who were routinely spending between $600 and $1000 per year to purchase basic teaching materials such as pencils and paper. In a press release,  the Council of the City of New York Office of Communications reported that a City Council investigation found that New York City teachers spend an average of $426 out-of-pocket dollars for basic classroom supplies. Council member Eric Gioia said: "Teachers already put their hearts and souls into the classroom-they shouldn't need to put in their paychecks too."

One first grade teacher, Marla Garnter, reports that she spends $500 to $600 a year on everything from Popsicles as a class reward to crayons and scissors for children whose families cannot afford school supplies. She notes: "It's those extras that make learning really fun and add that extra quality to the class."

A 2013 study found that K-12 teachers spent over 1.6 billion dollars of their own money on classroom materials. https://thejournal.com/articles/2013/07/01/k12-teachers-out-of-pocket-1-point-6-billion-on-classroom-tools.aspx “The research was not conducted by a teacher advocacy group; rather it was conducted by an organization that represents the retailers that supply learning aids, classroom supplies, and other tools to educators, the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA).

The study found that 99.5 percent of all public school teachers spent some amount of money out of pocket, with the national average for 2013-2013 coming in at $485 among those surveyed.”

The average amount spent by teachers was $485, but a full 10% of those surveyed reported spending over $1000.  Spending by teachers varies widely, according to experience, school affluence, and ethnic makeup of the school population. Another study, reported in Forbes magazine, found that teachers spend closer to $500 each and that parents are actually contributing less to classroom supplies and materials. “Georgia based special education teacher  Brandi Poole is among this crowd, stating that she spends up to $1000 a year on her small classroom of students. ‘I probably spend between $800 to $1000 a year, and I have a small class of less than 15 students. A lot of students do not bring in school supplies at all. Although we have a couple of churches that donate, it’s not enough to supply the 400 plus students in our school. We are not given money to purchase stuff that we need to teach the material that we are supposed to teach,” Poole states.”

 Free Labor

 Columnist Kathleen Modenbach, a 20-year teaching veteran writes about the issue of "Teachers' Free Labor, Out-of-Pocket Expenses Aid School System" and recalls teachers who paint their own classrooms, build lofts and shelves, and even wire entire schools for technology. Admittedly, they sometimes persuade good-natured spouses or friends to help out. One school librarian "equipped her library with enough computers so each child in class could work at a computer." She scoured thrift stores for computers and printers and then she and her son refurbished them for use.

I remember visiting the home of one of my favorite new education graduates. She proudly showed me her personal copier, set up in her "school room," an entire room in their charming home set up just for preparing lessons. Victoria's husband had surprised her with her own small copy machine for Christmas. It was all she wanted.

Many teachers resort to purchasing their own copiers, digital cameras, and iPads. Modenbach reports that "After a high school teacher's proposal for an elective history class was approved, she spent her own money to make copies for the balance of the year." There was no funding for textbooks and this social studies teacher had already "used up" her allotment of copies. The class, like the "show," must go on.

How far will it go? With average beginning teachers' salaries hovering at around the $30,000 mark according to the American Federation of Teachers, compared to graduates in other majors who "start" at about $40,000, teachers do not have much largesse on which to rely. How much can they take? How much will the public continue to drain off of these generous civil servants?

 Why does the Problem Persist?

 As an educational consultant and professor, I spend about two days per week in public school classrooms. I taught special education, gifted education, kindergarten, and first grade prior to coming to the university. Based on these experiences, I submit five reasons for the growing problem of teachers spending their own money on the classroom.

 It takes more and more unique materials to "reach" the over--stimulated, easily distracted child in today's classrooms. Kids who watch an average of two hours of television per day during infancy and progress to more than six hours per day by elementary age will not sit still while a boring lady writes on a chalkboard. Their brains crave color, activity, and energy.

1. Current brain research on teaching and learning show us that stimulation and emotional experiences help the brain to feed information into long-term memory. Only information that makes it to long-term memory can be drawn upon when it is time to take high stakes tests. Teachers need trade books, math manipulatives, and science experiments to make this journey to long-term memory with learners.
2. The new state and national standards are rigorous. They are packed with complex content and that is exactly what we want. The problem is, a single textbook cannot provide the material nor the experiences to bring the content home to learners.
3. Speaking of textbooks, research shows that between 30 percent and 50 percent of youngsters in a given class in middle or high school cannot fully process and comprehend the text. Teachers must go shopping to supplement textbooks that kids cannot understand. Many teachers supplement by using the rich, diverse offerings of children's literature, which help to make complex issues approachable for all learners. But with teachers spending an average of $10 per book according to one source, and most teachers purchasing several books per month, the cost is prohibitive. One teacher told me that her account at amazon.com was routinely higher than her gas bill. A former "teacher of the year" and current principal in a Title I school, René Harris has so many children's books of her own that she once told me that she couldn't even count them. I have seen the stacks. I believe her.
4. School budgets ignore the teaching experience and focus instead on the politics of education. Class size is important and so are infrastructure issues such as wiring and water leaks. But where in the budget is money for Mrs. Larson's worms or Mrs. Duke's copies, or Mrs. Bone's peppermints to pass out during tests? (Mints help to raise test scores. It's a fact)

There may a slight relief in sight for teachers. Since 2002, teachers are able to deduct up to $250 in expenses when figuring their adjusted gross income. This deduction is available regardless of whether one itemizes deductions on a Schedule A. A helpful article for teachers and their tax preparers to read is found at https://www.palkacpa.com/Teachers.html. Here's a list of some expenses over the $250 that can be included on a Schedule A:

• Teachers can depreciate a computer or projector purchased for classroom use-
• Fees for attending seminars or conventions
• Books and materials related to study abroad
• Costs to improve skill level or to change grade levels (college courses)
• Much more is included in the article.

 What Else Can Teachers Do to Ease the Pain of Educational Expenses?

 1.Learning to find and write mini grants is a handy skill that helps teachers to bring in revenue for their pet projects. A mini grant shouldn’t take more than an hour to pull together and is worth anywhere between $100 and $5000 in cash or materials. One source for mini grants and larger grants is my book with a CD of funding sources for the arts, interventions, and technology available from Teacher Created Materials: The Educator’s Guide to Grants. Professional organizations and school districts may want to sponsor a grant writing training at their next state or regional  conference.

2. One great source is https://www.donorschoose.org/ where teachers can set up their own funding page. Recently, comedian Stephen Colbert funded all the current projects for South Carolina teachers in one fell swoop. Over $800,000! What a great day and a generous gesture.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2015/05/12/its-no-joke-colbert-announces-funding-for-all-sc-public-school-requests-on-donorschoose/

 3. Creating an annual wish list  that can be  disseminated in local newspapers or on the school web page has become a viable, practical way to share the burden of funding creative projects or day to day necessities. In the past few years, some of my novice teachers have secured reams of special paper, printers, ink cartridges, art supplies, and even a book binding machine. The trick is to ask for specific items.

4. Sponsoring a Teacher’s Swap Shop is a fabulous idea that can become an idea service project. Set it up for a Saturday and advertise through several districts. Teachers bring in useful, well cared for classroom items that they would like to “swap out”. Extra copies of children’s books, office supplies, baskets, decorative items, holiday décor, and even gently used holiday sweaters ( pumpkins or apples anyone?) can be appealing to someone new. Figure out an easy system for the swapping. By the pound? By the item? Tickets?

5. Setting up a holiday book request registry  list with a local bookstore is a marvelous way to get the titles that you want without purchasing them yourself. Let parents know where you are “registered” and you may end up with the latest Newberry or Caldecott winners instead of another tin of bath salts or apple-shaped book ends.

 Conclusion

 The problem doesn't stop at K-12. Many college professors purchase their own technology and materials, in order to have up to date resources and often find themselves paying for class field trips and projects for students.  As a professor who teaches "Children's Literature," I routinely write grants just to supply my students with the latest examples of award--winning books. Teachers do not have expense accounts. Unlike other professionals, they must pay out-of pocket for what others would consider necessary, day to day equipment.

For example, many of the first folks in my acquaintance to purchase cell phones were teachers who used them to call parents when a child had a discipline problem in middle school or soiled his clothes in a kindergarten mishap. Some high school teaching friends purchased them after the Columbine tragedy or 9/11, for obvious safety and security reasons. They paid for them, of course, but the peace of mind was worth it noted one high school coach. Teachers continue to pay to be safe and to teach in the most creative way possible.

Finally, it is probably no mistake that Ms. Larson is currently "teacher of the year" at her school or that my friend Victoria Dukes has been "teacher of the year" at her school or that my old college buddy Melanie Franks has been known to spend large parts of her summer break "working for free" to make her first grade classroom a welcoming spot. She is another "teacher of the year." They give of their time. They "tithe" to their schools in a sense, because for them and hundreds of thousands of other teachers, the job is a calling. It is a shame that the calling costs them so much and that so few people appreciate their offering.

Will we soon see expense accounts for teachers? That is not likely in a time when "giving" teachers $100 per year to spend on their classrooms is considered bountiful. There are always choices to be made when considering budgets and ballots. Perhaps we should consider the price that good teachers are paying simply to do their jobs when we make these tough decisions.

 Dr. Linda Karges-Bone is a professor in the School of Education at Charleston Southern University, where she prepares future teachers. She is the author of 32 books for teachers, including the 2015 release Bibliotherapy: Children’s Books That Train the Brain and Jumpstart the Heart. You can reach her at www.educationinsite.com

 Research Citations

 https://www.nyclu.org/education complaint.html NYCLU vs. State of New York

 https://thejournal.com/articles/2013/07/01/k12-teachers-out-of-pocket-1-point-6-billion-on-classroom-tools.aspx

 https://www.freep.com/news/education/nteach13 _20020613.htm Tax Break Aids Generous Teachers

 https://www.council.nyc.ny.us/pdf_files/newswire/teacherschoice. pdf The Council of the City of New York: Office of Communications.

 https://www.palkacpa.com/Teachers.html Business Expenses for Teachers

 https://www.aft.org/research/survey02/SalarySurvey02.pdf Survey and Analysis of Teacher Salaries, 2002.

 https://www.education-world.com/a_issues/issues239.shtml Teachers' Free Labor, Out-of Pocket Expenses Aid School Systems

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2015/05/12/its-no-joke-colbert-announces-funding-for-all-sc-public-school-requests-on-donorschoose/