As the academic year gets underway this month across Middle Tennessee, many parents are getting an uncomfortable reminder of the many expenses that come along with having school-aged children.
Clothes. Bookbags. Textbooks. Band instruments. The list goes on and on.
For low-income families, these school costs are more than just an inconvenience — they sometimes represent a significant portion of a household’s monthly budget. But what those families may not realize is that Tennessee, unlike many other states, offers relief from many classroom-related costs as part of children’s right to a free public education.
According to state law, no public school in the state of Tennessee — preschool, elementary, middle and high school — can force a child, regardless of financial status, to pay for school supplies, field trips or any other fees directly linked to their education. While schools may request that families cover these costs, if the family is unable to do so for any reason, the school is required to make sure every student has the supplies they need.
The law covers supplies that are needed during the school day for any course that is taken for either credit or a grade. In addition to standard items like books, notebooks, folders, calculators, compasses, rulers, and pens and pencils, the law applies to gym clothes and band instruments, if they’re needed for classes that are being taken for credit. Graduation caps and gowns are also included.
Beyond supplies, the law also covers the cost of activities or field trips that occur during any portion of a school day. No matter the destination (a trip to Dollywood counts just the same as a museum), schools aren’t allowed to leave students behind if their family isn’t able to pay. Students also shouldn’t be penalized for invoking their right to have fees waived or supplies provided.
To be clear, not everything that families normally pay for as part of school is covered. The law doesn’t apply to items whose use isn’t exclusive to school, such as street clothes and backpacks. Costs related to extracurricular activities like cheerleading or basketball don’t qualify either. In addition, fines and fees incurred by students — such as late charges for library books, fines for losing or tearing up a textbook, or parking fees (unless the child has no other mode of transportation available to them or offered by the school) — are the student’s own responsibility.
Although this right extends to every student regardless of financial status, it is our hope that families who can afford these expenses won’t take advantage. Nobody wants for individual teachers, who frequently pay classroom costs out of their own pockets, to be saddled with an additional financial burden. School districts should be allowing room in their budgets to cover these costs. Teachers also welcome donations of extra classroom supplies from families who are in a position to do so.
If your child needs school supplies and a teacher or school refuses to assist, attorneys at Legal Aid Society may be able to offer free legal assistance. As Tennessee’s largest legal nonprofit, we defend the legal rights of low-income and vulnerable people to obtain the basic necessities of life. We have eight offices serving 48 counties across Middle Tennessee (Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge and Tullahoma). To find out if you qualify for our services, call us at 1-800-238-1443.
Rachel Moses is a staff attorney with Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands based in Cookeville.
