Secretary Cardona: “This affordability crisis is having an impact on families and having an impact on students’ ability to learn.”
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Defend America Action hosted a press call with former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, former North Carolina State Superintendent June Atkinson, Michigan State Representative Matt Koleszar, Groundwork Collaborative President and CEO Lindsay Owens, and The Century Foundation President Julie Morgan to discuss the rising cost of sending kids back to school this year and the financial strain it’s placing on working families across the country.
“As we think about a new school year, as we think about making sure that we’re preparing students, let’s remember that this affordability crisis is having an impact on families and having an impact on students’ ability to learn,” said former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “From my experience as a fourth grade teacher and school principal, I can tell you that the differences between have and have nots become readily apparent when we have students who are coming to school who may not have the resources at home for food or back to school clothes.”
“I see kids getting off that big yellow bus with backpacks, and I know that many of their families have struggled financially to fill those backpacks with school supplies,” said former North Carolina State Superintendent June Atkinson. “Many of those children need assistance with lunch. If you pack a lunch for a child, that’s going to cost much more now than it did several years ago. We also know that the diesel fuel in that big yellow bus costs more, and that puts a strain on the school district, not to mention the parents who have to pay more for gas if they are in a carpool.”
“Nowhere in the country can we feel the burden more than here in Michigan. The tariff policies coming out of Washington D.C. have cost Michigan families roughly $5,619 per household. That puts us at the highest in the nation,” said Michigan State Representative Matt Koleszar. “Now, here in Michigan, we have taken some proactive measures. Since 2023, we’ve budgeted for free breakfast and lunch for every public school student across the entire state. That saves Michigan families $850 per child every single year.”
“The thing that is really emptying Americans’ wallets is the sticker shock coming from school supplies,” said Groundwork Collaborative President and CEO Lindsay Owens. “President Trump’s economic policies are a big reason why. So many school supplies are imported, and they’re really getting hit with those tariffs. The war in Iran and gas prices are filtering through the retail sector more broadly, increasing prices on school supplies as well. This year, the cost of school, between supplies and lunch, will set families back $4,000 per child, up 11% from last year.”
“American families are being squeezed from every direction all at once, in many cases due directly to actions by the Trump administration,” said Century Foundation President Julie Morgan. “These just aren’t price hikes that families can absorb. These are unexpected costs that’re really pushing people over the edge. Nearly half of parents say that they’re going to take on debt to afford school supplies. That’s stacked on top of the debt they’re already taking on to manage their other costs. 64% of parents say that high costs have already hurt their child’s education in the past year.”
A recording of the press call is available here.
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