LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There are only 12 days left before the start of the CCSD school year which means teachers are starting to stock up on supplies.
A recent survey from the U.S. Department of Education shows that 94% of teachers spend their own money on school supplies and materials.
Now, there's a place for teachers in Southern Nevada to get supplies at little to no cost. The Public Education Foundation Teacher Superstore opened on Tuesday morning at 6001 S. Decatur Blvd., Suite D.
The Teacher Superstore provides school supplies to teachers to reduce their out-of-pocket expenses, and these supplies are then shared with students who often can’t afford them. For a small membership fee of $26, a teacher can get up to $500 worth of supplies from the store.
“We know that the average teacher spends $480 of their own money every year on supplies. This is a really important way for our community to show our teachers that we appreciate them,” said Kirsten Searer, the president of the Public Education Foundation.
Stephanie Steyh is a teacher at Valley High School. She said when she first started teaching, she would spend at least $500 dollars out-of-pocket on supplies. Now, she said can get everything she needs for each one of her students, without feeling that added financial pressure.
“Not every student walks in with every single thing they need and it’s my responsibility to make sure that they have those materials so that they can be successful. If they need a notebook, I have a notebook. The Teacher's Exchange helps me get all that stuff,” Steyh said.
“We just did a survey of our teachers and found that 61% of Clark County students come to school without any school supplies and who’s gonna supplement that? Of course, it’s going to be teachers because they care about our kids and they want to make sure that our students all have access to learning,” Searer said.
The store is open to licensed Clark County School District employees and public charter school employees.
Teachers will also be able to shop online starting Aug. 11, and the supplies will be delivered to their school.
