Eight Ways Trump’s Back-to-School Tax Is Harming Hardworking American Families
August 13, 2025
Eight Ways Trump’s Back-to-School Tax Is Harming Hardworking American Families
New Analysis from Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation Shows Families Will Pay $160 More to Pack Lunch Boxes and 40% More for School Supplies, Thanks to Trump’s Policies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation released a new analysis showing how President Trump’s policies are driving up costs on essential back-to-school items, meals, transportation, and more. The analysis finds that American families will pay up to 40 percent more on essential school supplies and over $160 more on lunch-box staples. President Trump’s failure to keep his campaign promise to address high and rising prices has already translated into bigger back-to-school bills for working families—and now his new tariffs are driving up costs even more.
Groundwork Collaborative’s Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy Liz Pancotti released the following statement:
“President Trump’s tax and tariff policies have turned the back-to-school season into a budgeting nightmare for hardworking American families. From lunch boxes and notebooks to juice boxes and pencils, parents are being squeezed at every turn—paying more for the school supplies and meals their kids need to succeed. No family should have to struggle to afford the basics while the wealthy and well-connected cash in on massive tax breaks they do not need.”
Century Foundation Senior Fellow Rachel West released the following statement:
“President Trump’s policies are forcing families to foot higher bills for back-to-school essentials from binders and lunch-box staples to clothes, shoes, and even laptops. From his reckless tariffs to his budget law slashing food assistance and federal student loans, Trump’s back-to-school message to America’s families is crystal clear: don’t expect help, just expect less. This comes on the heels of new Century Foundation data that reveals large numbers of Americans are struggling financially, and 8 in 10, including nearly 70 percent of Republicans, are concerned that Trump’s tariffs will raise prices on everyday purchases.”
Email press@groundworkcollaborative.org to speak with a Groundwork expert about back-to-school costs.
BACKGROUND ON TRUMP DRIVING UP BACK-TO-SCHOOL COSTS:
- Trump tariffs are increasing prices on school supplies: From notebooks to lunch boxes, families are paying more for school supplies.
- School supply shopping will be 7.3 percent more expensive this year compared to last year, according to new analysis, with cost increases as high as 42.6 percent for items such as index cards, notebooks (17.1 percent), binders (12.8 percent), and folders (12.7 percent).
- When asked if tariffs would lead to higher prices, Trump acknowledged they would—and suggested parents should simply buy fewer of the supplies their children need: “They can have five [pencils].”
- Parents will have to pay more to pack lunches: President Trump promised to bring down grocery prices “on Day 1,” but grocery prices have increased significantly since he took office.
- This school year, families can already expect to pay $163 more to pack their child’s lunch box compared to last year. Trump has already targeted food for students by eliminating the Local Food for Schools program earlier this year, slashing $660 million that schools were using to provide fresh, local food for their students.
- Trump’s new budget law will impact nutrition benefits for more than 22 million families, 62 percent of which are families with children under age 18—some of whom will lose food benefits entirely.
- Laptops and tablets are about to get more expensive: Prices for laptops and tablets are projected to increase by over 30 percent due to the Trump administration’s tariff policies. Prices for computers and accessories are already up by 2.3 percent since Trump took office, compared to a decline of 4.3 percent in the preceding six months.
- New clothes will cost more thanks to Trump’s trade war: As families purchase back-to-school outfits and uniforms, they’re finding that Trump’s tariffs disproportionately affect the cost of new clothes and shoes growing children need.
- Brands such as Carters and Nike have already announced price hikes, and the Yale Budget Lab estimates consumers will face 40 percent higher prices for shoes and 38 percent higher prices for apparel in the next few months.
- Auto tariffs are hiking up transportation costs: With car prices expected to rise as much as $4,000 to $12,500 due to Trump’s tariffs, many students and families may struggle to cover the cost of their commute to school.
- Enrichment activities are at risk: The cancellation of many federal grants and weeks-long impoundment of federal formula funds to schools have left many school districts in budgetary chaos, leading to cancellation or delay of funding for key staffing positions and programs related to academic support, enrichment, and more.
- Working families will have to stretch their budgets to afford child care:
Compared to last year, child care prices have risen by 5.7 percent. Six months into his administration, Trump has failed to offer a concrete solution or make meaningful investments to address soaring child care prices, which have risen by nearly 30 percent since 2020.
- College students are in limbo: College students are grappling with both higher costs and greater uncertainty as they return to campuses.
- For example, college textbooks are 12.9 percent more expensive compared to last back-to-school season. Per-person spending on back-to-college essentials is projected to drop about 3 percent overall—and 14 percent for electronics—as many lower-income households are forced to cut back on spending due to tariffs.
- All of this comes as 72 percent of Americans already say it’s gotten harder to pay for college over the past quarter century.
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