It’s well known that teachers often spend hundreds of their own dollars each year on classroom supplies — about $450 in Virginia on average during the past school year. What often goes unrecognized is the tremendous time and energy teachers and staff spend securing grants that bring vital funds into our schools.
This year, Page County Public Schools staff and teachers secured roughly $2 million in multi-year grants supporting STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) education, school safety, students who struggle in school and students from low-income families, summer meals, and community schools, as explained at a recent School Board meeting.
These efforts are especially important now because large federal funding cuts and severe staff cuts at the Department of Education, pose serious challenges for our schools. These staff cuts include personnel responsible for supporting not only the many programs listed above, but also after-school programs, students with disabilities, and teacher training. Those cuts will be a big blow to our schools.
Thanks to the tremendous effort and dedication of our teachers and staff, the grants they secured bring a near $2 million boost for Page County schools. This demonstrates the commitment of our educators to provide excellent opportunities to our students — despite the federal funding cuts.
Sincerely,
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“It’s well known that teachers often spend hundreds of their own dollars each year on classroom supplies — about $450 in Virginia on average during the past school year.”
No doubt they do. How much can teachers claim for qualified expenses on their tax returns? $300 right?
I would just go out and buy stuff, Robert. Seemed easier than filling out a PO and waiting. I guess I should have, but I never thought about taking any of it off my taxes. To my knowledge, none of my colleagues ever did, either… It was always little things, but the little things add up.
Eric. If what you and your colleagues spend on these items is not enough of a big deal to take a tax deduction on, then the letter writer may not have needed to mention it except to help trash the current Federal admin’s “cuts to education”. If the schools aren’t paying for these extras in the first place, what difference do cuts to education matter?? BTW. Virginia has a $500 tax deduction limit on teacher purchased school items, but the same items can’t be counted for both. Even if somebody maxed out both limits, it still amounts to peanuts in the end on the tax return. I wonder why the governments and schools do it that way. Maybe it’s because small office supply type things sometimes walk off?