Florida teachers taking advantage of sales tax holiday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - People across the state are stocking up on school supplies just before kids go back to class.

The back-to-school sales tax holiday goes from now until Sunday, August 6.

The National Retail Federation estimates families will spend nearly $890 for supplies this year. Teachers are also spending just as much.

“You have to be prepared for the students who just don’t have those supplies,” Leon County third-grade teacher Jacqueline Scott said.

Scott is taking advantage of Florida’s Back-to-School sales tax holiday and getting supplies for her classroom.

“Composition books, markers, we need an endless supply of markers. Just different supplies they would need throughout the school year,” Scott said.

Florida has been doing sales tax holidays on school supplies since 2007. It includes things like notebooks, paper, clothes, flashcards and computers.

And the costs of those items are rising, Scott said, meaning she has to cut back on what she buys for the classroom.

Scott said she would like to see the state offer more relief for teachers and families by getting rid of the sales tax on school supplies for good.

“Anything educational related, like backpacks and some of everything. Kids will tear up a backpack between the first day of school and before November,” Scott said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expects families will save more than $160 million from the back-to-school sales tax holiday.

For the first time, there will be a second sales tax holiday for this school year. The second one runs from January 1 through January 14.

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