Some of my best legislative ideas come from people around the district.
I regularly attend public events to make myself accessible so you can share your thoughts and concerns.
Among my stops this summer was the New River Valley Fair in Dublin.
I got to call some bingo and speak with fairgoers. One local public school teacher expressed concern to me about paying out-of-pocket for school supplies. The teacher is Elissa Grantham. She felt the current $300 tax credit was insufficient.
My recollection is she said the current deduction is “doodly-squat.” Whether that’s the wording she used or not, she clearly felt the deduction failed the reality in the classroom.
The National Education Association website reports that studies show educators spend on average somewhere between $500 and $750 of their own money every year on things students need. This article from last year was based on studies conducted in the years prior to that.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, ninety-four percent of teachers reach into their wallets to buy classroom supplies.
The Educator Expense Deduction was first enacted in 2002. Eligible educators for the federal tax credit include K-12 teachers, instructors, counselors, principals or aides who work for at least 900 hours a school year in a school that provides elementary or secondary education as determined under state law.
This deduction was unfortunately not around when my mother and her co-teacher, Ms. Clara Winkler, taught sixth grade for Roanoke County schools at Broad Street Elementary. I remember their dedication as they made sure to purchase enough supplies and materials for their classroom in order to enhance the educational experience of their students.
While the classroom expense tax deduction used to cover $250, adjustments increased it to $300 in 2022.
But per the statistics above, $300 falls far short of what educators typically spend on a yearly basis to meet student and classroom needs.
This is likely further exacerbated by Biden-Harris era inflation. Many teachers are having to make difficult financial decisions on top of spending money for their classrooms.
The Los Angeles Times found that between August 2022 and June 2023, the prices for writing tools and supplies, including crayons, highlighters, pens and pencils, have increased an average of 18.5 percent.
As an example, the cost of planners, binders and folders surged an average of a 48.5 percent increase in cost during that time, and the increase in the price of “paper and forms” was eighty percent!
Given these struggles under the Biden-Harris economy, like others, educators are in a pinch.
Following my interactions with Grantham at the New River Valley Fair, I introduced legislation to provide educators breathing room and increase the Educator Expense Deduction to $1,000.
Students and educators will reap the benefits of greater access to classroom resources, particularly those in distressed and underserved communities.
A significant tax achievement was passed by a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and President Donald Trump. The bill became known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Individual income tax rates were cut, and the standard deduction was increased.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act helped families! The Child Tax Credit almost doubled. The maximum per-child credit amount went from roughly $1,000 to $2,000.
Families also benefitted from the tax bill because it facilitated school choice. Families could use 529 college savings plans for elementary and secondary education expenses.
Many of the provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire in 2025. As inflation hinders the ability of many to make a decent living, the expiration of these tax cuts will further hurt American families and consumers.
Americans work hard at their jobs. It is only fair for their paychecks to reflect that.
I will continue to speak with folks on the ground and get their ideas as to what we can do better.
As the school year begins for many in the Ninth District, I would like to thank every educator for your contributions, the dedication to your students, and your care for their education.
Teachers care for their students, whether it was in the second half of the twentieth century like my mother, or like today, the teacher at the Dublin fair. The least we can do is to help them.
