Teachers turn to online fundraising for back to school items paid for out-of-pocket

TAMPA, Fla. - While teachers across Tampa Bay race to check items off their back to school lists, many of them are struggling more than ever to pay out of pocket and turning to online fundraisers for help.

According to a recent study by salary.com, teachers plan to spend an average of $560 on supplies this year and one in five of them plans to spend more than $1,000.

"Five-six hundred dollars depending on what I need," said Vickie Santos-Troche, a ninth grade English teacher in Hillsborough County. "It's been very difficult just trying to get everything together for the first day. It's been very, very difficult when you think about the rising cost of gas and everything else."

Earlier this summer, Santos-Troche launched a campaign on gofundme.com to try to raise $500, and the community has donated $170 so far.

According to a gofundme.com spokesperson, the website is seeing an increasing number of teachers turn to crowdsourcing as a way to try to cover classroom expenses.

University of South Florida Economist Michael Snipes said this is a symptom of inflation, which hit a 40-year high in June.

"If the price of everything else is going up, well, then that means that I have less money to buy school supplies in the first place," said Snipes, adding careers with relatively stagnant salaries are impacted harder. "We wouldn't really necessarily notice prices going up if we had a corresponding increase in wage, but we don't have a corresponding increase in wage."

Although the local districts and the state have increased teacher pay, education advocates argue it's not enough, and they believe now is the time teachers are paying the price.

"Whatever comes to him comes to me, goes straight to the classroom it has definitely been a help," Santos-Troche said. "It has allowed me to offset those prices."