TYLER, Texas — The start of classes in East Texas is just two weeks away and the time for school supply shopping is now. Tyler ISD teachers are preparing to help students fill any gaps.
It seems like the list of required school supplies grows every year and seemingly so does inflation. In fact, according to a study from Nerdwallet, more than 70 percent of parents believe that schools ask them to buy too much for the back-to-school season.
However, 77 percent of parents say they’re willing to go into debt for their child’s education. On Tuesday, Tyler ISD tried to ease that burden for parents by providing extra school supplies for first-year teachers.
"This is very helpful because some of my kids might can’t afford supplies. So being able to grab supplies for them will really allow for my classroom to run well. But I can’t wait to go to the end of the year, just be able to see how much they’ve grown, and go on to be able to be first graders," Jaydyn Martin, a first-year kindergarten teacher at Bell Elementary, said.
The supplies handed out Tuesday will mostly serve as backups for current classroom resources. These supplies will also assist students that may find themselves in need throughout the year.
Martin said she’s looking forward to her first year because she’s always wanted to be a teacher and she’s even more excited to do it in the district she graduated from.