After spending the equivalent of an entire mortgage payment on school supplies for my children, I’m frustrated. And I’m not the only one.

The rising cost of school supplies is straining my family’s budget. And while chatting with friends, I found out that they, too, had spent more than $1,000 on back-to-school shopping.

What was once a fun annual tradition for parents marking the end of summer is now an increasingly expensive endeavor.

Over the past decade, the cost of school supplies has steadily increased. According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school are expected to spend this year an average of $875 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics. That's lower than last year’s record of $890 but nearly a $200 increase per family since 2019.

But why? Chalk it up to supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, marketing and a slew of other things. Additionally, the costs are deeply influenced by political decisions on education funding and tax policies. All of it adds to the financial burden placed on families, particularly those with........

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