By Rachael Ward
Teacher and mother-of-two Shenaiya Day spent $700 kitting out her son when he started prep at a local public school, and back-to-school costs ballooned every year until he graduated.
As a primary school teacher, she has encountered other parents struggling with costs, as well as students showing up without essentials.
In 2025, a full set of new supplies for a primary school-aged student will cost Australian parents an average of $694, according to Finder. That rises to $1149 for secondary students.
Chelsea Ulyatt with her four children DJ, Sebastian, Destiny, and Nikolas is no stranger to the back-to-school struggle.Credit: Wayne Taylor
Overall, parents are expected to spend $13.6 billion on all schooling costs this year – including uniforms, tuition, technology, and excursions – up from $12.9 billion in 2024.
Parents and teachers point to digital technology, which has become a classroom requirement.
“It’s extremely expensive, and depends, obviously, if you’re in a public school or in a private school as the costs do vary,” Day said.
When supplies for Day’s daughter cost a “ridiculous” $1500 in year 7, she sought out a second-hand uniform shop.
It saved the Sydney mum more than $1000, prompting her to encourage other parents in a similar position to look out for simple ways to save.
Former principal and Real Schools founder Adam Voigt said there had been an uptick in educators reporting students without the basics.
He said technology requirements in schools were a major issue for many parents, while voluntary contributions in public institutions could cost up to $300.
“There’s definitely a spike at play here; we definitely have an increasing number of schools saying their families are feeling the pinch,” he said.
Calls to children’s charity The Smith Family for help with school costs surged by more than 12 per cent in two years, with 67,000 students in one program alone.
Low-income families were already struggling, but inflation compounded the pressures, chief executive Doug Taylor said.
“Thirty per cent of those young people don’t have a digitally connected laptop at home. That has a significant adverse impact on their education.
“Many public schools are able to support students when they’re at school, but it’s what happens at home that’s also very important in terms of being able to do homework.”
Australian Education Union federal president Correna Haythorpe blamed a shortfall in government funding, saying when children as young as grade 3 must have iPads at public schools, the cost shouldn’t be passed on to parents.
“Escalating costs are a direct result of the fact that governments, for decades now, have failed to fully fund public schools, and that has shifted the cost burden to parents,” she said.
Education Minister Jason Clare said he was working with all states and territories to get schools on a path to full funding under the federal government’s 10-year Better and Fairer Schools agreement.
In the meantime, most Australian families can access back-to-school relief, with payments or subsidies for all children in Queensland, Victoria, and the Northern Territory, and public school students in South Australia.
Finder personal finance expert and mother-of-three Sarah Megginson said in addition to seeking out second-hand items, parents should try to spread out expenses.
Many schools also offer payment plans – even if they aren’t advertised.
“Even if your school doesn’t offer a payment plan, it’s worth asking the question,” Megginson said.
AAP