Hard times are following kids back to school this year.High gas prices and economic anxiety is impacting school districts nationwide. Students will be walking farther to catch the school bus, paying more for lunch and using old textbooks.
Last year's clothes will be worn on the first day of school. And field trips? Probably not.
This year, schools have to cut down on all fronts due to rising costs. The high gas prices are affecting transportation. School Buses are making less stops, and car-pooling will increase. Cafeteria food, heating and air conditioning costs are on the rise causing school districts frustration and extreme budgeting.
In rural Minnesota, one school district has decided to cease classes on Mondays. Classes Tuesday through Friday will be 10 minutes longer, saving a lot of fuel.
Candice Jaenisch, whose two sons and daughter will be making the switch, says: "You're cutting expenses that really don't affect school." Some may say having Mondays off will increase other costs such as daycare. Luckily, in this small town, most parents are farmers or work out of their homes. "I really don't know that there are that many people with set hours Monday through Friday," Jaenisch adds.
Parents are cutting back on spending for back to school items. For back-to-school clothes, Heidi McLean shopped at outlets and the Marshalls discount chain for her son and daughter, high school students in Eureka, Calif. Others are hitting secondhand stores, and some are foregoing shopping all together.
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