'Setting students up': Outrage as Trump's economy ups cost of school supplies

Even as President Donald Trump continues dismissing Americans’ concerns about affordability heading into the 2026 midterm elections, a study released on Monday reveals that US parents are about to pay a hefty premium to ensure their children are prepared for school this fall.

A jointanalysis from Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation finds that a typical basket of school supplies costs nearly 8% more than it did last year, with typical school lunch items costing 11% more.

Lunch boxes have posted the largest yearly price increase, as the analysis estimates they will cost nearly 27% more this year than in 2025. Other items whose prices have soared include one-subject notebooks (23% yearly increase), index cards (22%), and notebook paper (20%).

Trump’s illegal war with Iran, which has caused fuel prices including diesel to surge higher, has played a large role in increasing prices, as have his tariffs on foreign imports, the report notes.

The increase in diesel has been particularly troublesome for the price of food, the analysis points out, as the fuel is used both by farmers to power their agricultural equipment and by delivery trucks that ship food to grocery stores.

When it comes to the tariffs, the report points to Newell Brands—the company that makes Sharpies, Paper Mate, Elmer’s glue, and other school supply staples—which has been hit with a $174 million tax bill thanks to Trump’s policies and has consistently raised prices over the last year.

The report also points to changes made to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) made in Republicans’ 2025 budget law that will make it harder for low-income kids to qualify for food assistance this school year.

Lindsay Owens, president of Groundwork Collaborative, said Trump’s policies are forcing parents “to worry about whether they can afford to buy what their students need to be successful in the classroom.”

“If the president continues to treat our economy like a schoolyard game, our students and their families will pay the price,” said Owens. “When report cards come this year, Americans will give Trump an F.”

Janelle Jones, senior fellow at The Century Foundation, noted that school supplies aren’t luxuries for families, but rather “the baseline for a kid to show up ready to learn.”

“When notebooks and paper are up over 20%,” Jones emphasized, “we’re not just squeezing family budgets, we’re setting students up to fall behind. We know where this leads: lower test scores, more kids repeating grades, and worse outcomes well into adulthood.”