Trenton – Recognizing that teachers spend significant amounts of their own money to supply their classrooms, the Senate Education Committee advanced legislation today sponsored by Senator James Beach and Senator Shirley Turner which would provide educators with a tax deduction for such purchases.
“It is no secret that teachers pay a significant amount of money out of pocket each year to stock their classrooms and support their students’ success,” said Senator Beach (D-Camden/Burlington). “This legislation will allow them to deduct some of that spending from their taxes, similarly to how any business owner would deduct their expenses. We hope that this can ease some of the financial burden taken on by our educators.”
The bill, S-1980, would allow educators and paraprofessionals to deduct up to $250 in unreimbursed expenses from their income for the taxable year.
“As we work to encourage more individuals to join the teaching workforce, it’s important we are looking at the challenges educators face,” said Senator Turner (D-Mercer/Hunterdon). “Purchasing supplies and materials to stock classrooms has become a real financial challenge, which can be especially burdensome on young teachers starting from scratch. While there is a larger conversation to be had around the inequity of teachers spending their own money to supply their classrooms, this is a step in the right direction.”
Under the bill, classroom supplies would include books, computer equipment, and other supplementary materials used in the classroom by the eligible educator or paraprofessional.