BELLEVUE, Wash. — Purchasing school supplies is expected to be more expensive than ever this year.
In a recent survey, the National Retail Foundation found families with children in elementary through high school planned to spend a little more than $890. That can include big-ticket items like calculators, clothing and backpacks.
That estimate is up from last year's record, which was already an all-time high.
KING 5 went to Target to see how much it would it would cost the fulfill a basic elementary school list.
Selecting a random school, the anchors found a list from Cedar Valley Elementary School in Kent.
The final tally, minus the headphones, was $27.
That's actually about 35% more expensive than 5 years earlier. According to advertising from Target in 2018, the total would have cost closer to $20.
The Tacoma Police Department recently held an event aimed at easing the burden of returning to school on families in the community. It hosted the first-ever Kids Health and Safety Fair, which provided important items for free including bike helmets, backpacks and coats, as well as services like haircuts, eye exams and consultations with a doctor or dentist.
A nonprofit in Marysville also held a similar event, which saw the Grove Church provide free backpacks, school supplies, food, sports physicals and haircuts for anyone who needs them ahead of the upcoming school year.
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