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How much do school shoppers save during Missouri’s tax-free weekend? We did the math

KCUR | By Noah Zahn

Published August 6, 2023 at 4:00 AM CDT

*Wendy and Nathan Hladky and their children, Isaac and Aquila, pick up the last few supplies before school starts later this month.*

Even though back-to-school expenses are projected to be higher than ever, Missouri’s tax-free weekend and free community events allow Kansas Citians to save money.

This weekend, Missourians stocked up on school supplies — and bedazzled pencil bags, Spider-Man lunch boxes and crayons are all tax-free.

Shoppers braved the packed parking lots and busy aisles to stock up on supplies before the start of a new school year.

Wendy and Nathan Hladky were at Target on Ward Parkway Saturday morning with their children, who are heading into fourth and second grades.

“We bought some stuff in advance and now we’re trying to take advantage to get the last few things on a tax-free day,” Wendy Hladky said.

Missouri has held a tax-free back-to-school shopping weekend since 2003 for most school supplies, clothes and computers.

This year, for the first time, local taxing districts cannot opt out. A 2021 state law requires cities, counties and special districts to waive sales taxes, as well as state taxes.

The tax holiday does not extend to Kansas, where business is carrying on as usual this weekend. Kansas is one of 32 states that does not hold a sale tax free weekend for back-to-school shopping.

The Hladky family traveled across the state line for the savings in Missouri.

Back-to-school shopping will cost families on average a record $890 in the U.S., for an estimated total of $41.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

KCUR broke down the savings for tax-free supplies based on the Kansas City Public Schools supply list.

(These figures come from selecting the cheapest option on the school supply list available at a Walmart in the area, excluding a backpack. The taxes are a combination of state and local taxes)

	Total cost with tax	Cost without tax	Total savings
Kindergarten & first grade	$9.86	$9.05	$0.81
Grades 2 - 4	$16.82	$15.44	$1.38
Grades 5 & 6	$28.33	$25.92	$2.33
Grades 7 & 8	$19.28	$17.69	$1.59
Grades 9 - 12	$45.41	$41.67	$3.74

Even tax free, supplying kids for school can be difficult for some families.

Each year, the Kansas City Public Schools Education Foundation holds an event where families can pick up free school supplies, as well as immunizations, physical examinations and even learn a bit about CPR. Officials expected to serve more than 3,300 families on Saturday, giving away about 5,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies.

“I think every kid wants to pick out the color of their backpack, right?” said Nicole White, KCPS chief communications and community engagement officer. “KCPS wants to make sure there’s no barriers to education and no barriers to the first day of school. Parents have a lot of financial burden gearing up for school.”

Backpacks filled with school supplies ready to be handed out by volunteers through car windows at KCPS fest on Saturday Aug. 5. — *Backpacks filled with school supplies were ready to be handed out by volunteers through car windows at KCPSfest on Saturday Aug. 5.*

Before the first day of school, there are still a number of events and drives in the region to provide students with free school supplies and even haircuts.

Here is a list of upcoming events in the area:

The region also has a few ongoing programs such as North Kansas City’s Erase the Need and Lee’s Summit Social Services’ Back to School program.

When students are unable to get all of the necessary supplies for school, the burden to meet that need can sometimes fall on the teacher.

The National Education Association estimates that more than 90% of school teachers in the U.S. spend their own money on school supplies. An analysis from My eLearning World estimated an average of $820 out-of-pocket spending on classroom supplies for teachers last year.

*Items on sale at Target on Ward Parkway for Missouri’s tax-free weekend, which is taking place through Sunday in stores across the state.*

For teachers who still struggle to meet the demands of the classroom checklist, there are programs that can help. Scraps KC is a local nonprofit that provides teachers with donated school or office supplies year-round.

In the Raytown School District, Southwood Elementary Principal Claire Quinn said students don’t have to worry about getting the supplies they need.

Graceway Church in Raytown is providing all kindergarten students with backpacks and necessary supplies this year. Quinn said the school also uses its budget to pay for things like pencils, crayons, paper and markers in bulk.

While she said they can’t promise the flashiest school gear, they are able to provide what’s needed.

“If we have students that don’t have supplies, we have supplies for them,” Quinn said.