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“We were in chase mode in an environment where it was very difficult to chase,” Gass said, noting the company had planned last year’s season conservatively and found itself with a deficit of product in certain areas, including kids’. Michelle Gass, CEO of Kohl’s, said at a recent conference that the company would be well-positioned compared with last year, when kids’ products were hard hit by supply chain disruptions. While many parents said they were worried about items being out of stock, executives at companies from Kohl’s to Shoe Carnival have assured investors that inventory issues and shortages won’t be a problem this year. On the whole, back-to-school spending is expected to reach a new high of $34.4 billion for kids in elementary through high school, up from a forecast of $32.5 billion last year, according to the Deloitte research. This year, almost 60% of parents surveyed said they were worried about increasing costs of back-to-school items due to inflation. At the same time, a third of parents nationally said their family’s household situation had worsened since last year. But Sartin said large corporations that sponsor school supplies with the nonprofit have taken note of the greater need and have stepped up to help.Īccording to a national Deloitte survey of 1,200 parents of school-age kids, families plan to spend 8% more on school supplies than they did last year. The nonprofit is feeling the effects of inflation, too, Sartin said, even though it can get better deals on school supplies than the average person because it buys in bulk.

Most of the school supplies will go to kids in Illinois, he said the organization, which used to be known as Back 2 School Illinois, recently expanded beyond the state.īack 2 School America works with a variety of community partners, such as the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, to get school supplies to the kids with the greatest need.

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“That has increased dramatically,” he said.īy the end of August, Sartin said, Back 2 School America plans to distribute over 30,000 back-to-school kits full of supplies to children who need them. from parents or families that are saying, ‘You know what, my husband lost his job, we’re barely making our rent, we’ve got to get school supplies for our kids as they go back to school, how can you help us?’ ” said Steven Sartin, associate director of Back 2 School America, a nonprofit that provides school supplies to kids. 5-14 will benefit from a state sales tax holiday that will reduce the rate from 6.25% to 1.25%.īut back-to-school costs are still a burden for many families, said employees at non-profits that serve kids. In Illinois, parents who buy school supplies and certain clothing Aug. Sebastian sometimes purchases more items than her own kids need, sending them to school with an eight-pack of glue sticks instead of four, for example, so they can share with their classmates. Now, back-to-school costs are adding up, too. The Consumer Price Index hit 9.1% in June and created sky-high prices for everything from food to gas. And she hasn’t yet bought new backpacks or uniforms, which are required in her children’s classrooms.

Sebastian estimates she’s spent about $200 on school supplies for her kids.

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