The Appleton Education Foundation launched an initiative to reduce Appleton educators’ out of pocket spend on student and classroom supplies.
WHY A 2025 study by AdoptAClassroom.org shows U.S. teachers spend, on average, $895 out of pocket on supplies annually. In early 2024, an Appleton Education Foundation (AEF) survey of Appleton Area School District (AASD) staff revealed that 82.6% of respondents (including non-student-facing staff members) spend their own money to support students—averaging hundreds of dollars a year per staff member.
PILOT SUCCESS The Educators’ Resource Fund (ERF) was piloted at Franklin Elementary, Richmond Elementary, Wilson Middle, and Appleton East during the 2025-26 school year. Foundation staff worked with vendor partner Complete Office of Wisconsin to ensure quality items, add educator-requested items to the available options, and maintain best pricing.
In the pilot-year survey, a Wilson Middle School teacher said, “Thank you for providing us these products. Mine have helped my classroom environment immensely.” Across all four pilot schools, 72% of respondents said the Educators’ Resource Fund significantly or somewhat reduced their annual out-of-pocket spend.
The most purchased items during the pilot were snacks and dry-erase markers; followed closely by batteries and headphones.
EXPANSION After the successful pilot year, AEF is expanding the Educators’ Resource Fund to all AASD in-person delivery model schools and four programs. Funds are allocated to schools on a per pupil basis, factoring in economic status of students served. Each school leadership team further allocates funds by grade level or department, as they see fit.
In total, more than $50,000 has been allocated for this initiative during the 2026-27 school year.
The Educators’ Resource Fund does not replace the important work of local organizations and the Appleton Area School District in collecting basic school supplies like backpacks, pencils, notebooks, crayons, and loose-leaf paper.
The ERF store complements these efforts by offering whole-classroom resources and materials educators often purchase themselves, including the pilot-program most purchased items, along with organizational supplies, calculators, bulletin board supplies, and more.
“We are excited to expand the Educators’ Resource Fund to 36 schools and four programs within AASD. We believe this initiative will reduce some stress for Appleton staff,” said Julie Krause, AEF executive director. “It’s one small way we can show educators we see them and we appreciate the lengths they go to for their students.”
During this back-to-school season, please consider ways to support our local students and educators. If you would like to make a financial gift to support the Educators’ Resource Fund, checks can be mailed to the address below or gifts can be made online by visiting AppletonEducationFoundation.org/ERF and clicking the “Support the Educators’ Resource Fund” button.
122 E. College Ave., Ste 1B
Appleton, WI 54911
Checks should be payable to Appleton Education Foundation and include “Educators’ Resource Fund” on the memo line.
