WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) joined a group of colleagues in introducing the Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2022. The legislation would quadruple the amount educators can deduct from their taxes for out-of-pocket classroom expenses from $250 to $1,000 per teacher and continue to index it to inflation. The current deduction for teachers is far less than most New Jersey teachers spend each year out of their own pocket on classroom supplies.
“We know how hard our teachers work to ensure that New Jersey children receive the best education possible,” said Sen. Menendez. “I hear it all the time when I speak with teachers across our state about how they go above and beyond to provide resources and materials for their students – often times spending thousands of dollars of their own money each year. All of those expenses add up and this legislation will help put some of their hard-earned money back in their pockets.”
“Teachers across the nation often have to dip into their own pockets to purchase vital educational resources used in the classroom to help our children learn,” said Sen. Booker. “Through a simple change in the tax code, we can ensure that our educators receive some of the hard-earned money they spend back during tax season. I am proud to introduce this legislation that will make this change and support our teachers who have gone above and beyond for our students, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Educators showed once again how indispensable they are to our communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Department of Education, 94 percent of public-school teachers reportedly paid for classroom supplies without reimbursement, with nearly 1 in 10 reportedly spending more than $1,000 each year. Teachers in high-poverty areas are also more likely to spend more on out-of-pocket classroom costs to make up for fewer resources afforded to their school districts. Teachers are paid far too little -- on average 20 percent less than similarly-skilled professionals – and are also too often asked to cover classroom expenses.
“If the tax deduction amount is raised to $1,000 for a teacher to use in the classroom, it is going back to the taxpayer, in a sense,” said Jill Wagner, an English teacher for Independence Local Schools. “Teachers are instinctually creative, and the extra money will be used to be more inventive as to how to positively influence and support students and their school community. Teachers do NOT enter the profession to get financially rich. We do not get financial perks. We enter the profession to help children learn to the best of their abilities, and out-of-pocket expenses to make that happen are costing us more every year.”
State spending on education has plummeted in recent decades. Increasing this deduction recognizes the personal sacrifices so many educators make to ensure our children have the tools to learn.
The Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2022 is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), National Education Association (NEA), Ohio Education Association (OEA), and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Joining Sens. Menendez and Booker in introducing the legislation are Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). House cosponsors include Reps. Anthony Brown (M.D.-04), Colin Allred (Texas-32), Karen Bass (Calif.-37), Suzanne Bonamici (Ore.-01), Shontel Brown (Ohio-11), André Carson (Ind.-07), Sean Casten (Ill.-06), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Fla.-20), Jahana Hayes (Conn.-05), Jim Langevin (R.I.-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.-AL), Jimmy Panetta (Calif.-20), Katie Porter (Calif.-45), Jamie Raskin (Md.-08), Darren Soto (Fla.-09), Tom Suozzi (N.Y.-03), Bennie Thompson (Miss.-02) Juan Vargas (Calif.-51) and Frederica Wilson (Fla.-24).
The full text of the legislation can be found HERE.
