Teachers turn to Amazon Wish Lists, social media for classroom supplies

SAN ANTONIO – Teachers have been spending their own money to buy classroom supplies for decades -- that's nothing new -- but now many teachers are turning to social media for some support.

Thousands of teachers in Texas and across the country have created wish lists on Amazon to help them set up their classrooms, and they're using social media to help spread the word.

The trend has a name. It's being called "The Support a Teacher Movement."

Teachers are posting links to their Amazon wish lists with the hashtags #clearthelist, #clearthelists, #support_a_teacher and #support_a_teach.

There are dozens of regional Facebook groups set up where teachers can post their own lists and help fill other teachers' requests. Initially, the movement involved mostly teachers helping other teachers, but as the word has spread, so has the range of people looking to help out.

According to a  survey released last year by the National Center for Education Statistics, 94% of teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies. On average, teachers shell out about $479 of their own money, but 7% spend more than $1,000, the survey found.

In May, the Texas Legislature passed a bill giving Texas teachers raises and increasing student funding. Even with those raises, teacher salaries in the state remain below the national average.

Are you a teacher hoping to get some help with your classroom supplies? If so, post a link to your wish list in the comment section of this article.