School Supply Costs Surge as Parents Face Higher Prices for the 2026 Fall Term

The study finds that the overall cost of a standard set of school supplies is projected to be nearly 8 % higher than in the previous year, while the price of typical school-lunch items is expected to rise about 11 %. Among individual items, lunch boxes show the steepest increase at approximately 27 %, followed by one-subject notebooks (23 %), index cards (22 %), and notebook paper (20 %). These figures are based on the joint analysis of Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation.

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• War-related fuel costs: The report links the president’s “illegal war with Iran” to higher diesel prices, which affect both farm equipment and food-distribution trucks, thereby lifting food-related expenses.

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• Tariffs on imports: A $174 million tax imposed on Newell Brands—manufacturer of Sharpies, Paper Mate, and Elmer’s glue—is highlighted as a direct cost pressure on school-supply manufacturers, prompting price hikes over the past year.

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• SNAP changes: Adjustments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, enacted in the Republican-controlled 2025 budget law, are said to reduce eligibility for low-income children, compounding affordability challenges for families.

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Lindsay Owens, president of Groundwork Collaborative, argues that the president’s economic approach forces families to question whether they can afford essential classroom items.

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• “If the president continues to treat our economy like a schoolyard game, our students and their families will pay the price,” — Lindsay Owens, president of Groundwork Collaborative

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