Another school year, another adventure! Just as the first day of school is the cause of much excitement, so is all the required shopping that goes with starting off a new school year. With all the unknowns that a new school year can bring, it's nice to start planning early on what you will need to bring with you to school.
What you will need for your new school year depends on where you go and what grade you are in. For example, some schools require kids to donate communal pencils or boxes of tissues at the beginning of the year. Other schools require students to only bring in personal supplies that they will use themselves. Sometimes this includes art supplies. The best thing to do is to check with your school. In the meantime, we have put together a sample list of school supplies that children attending public school will probably need to purchase. Often, local office supply stores will have on hand the supply lists for local public schools.
Elementary Public School Supplies
- Art supplies: glue stick, scissors, crayons, colored pencils, markers, watercolor paints, play-doh (for the lower levels), sketch pads.
- Pencil, Pencil Sharpener, Eraser.
- Notebooks (spiral and/or composition). Teachers often ask that students bring in composition notebooks so that they cannot rip pages out without them being noticeable.
- Loose Leaf Paper.
- Graph Paper may be required for math subjects.
- Folders to contain classroom handouts.
- 3 Ring Binders to contain loose-leaf paper.
- Personal Dictionary may be required for the higher levels.
- Plastic school box to hold the student's supplies at school.
- Copy Paper. It is possible that copy paper may be used as a communal asset at the computer lab.
- Index cards to help make flashcards for studying or note cards while writing reports.
- Miscellaneous school supplies: tissues, scotch tape, zip lock bags, "magic rub" erasers, wet wipes, etc.
Public High School Supplies
By the time you've reached high school, you should have a good idea of what supplies you need to bring to school. Here is a list of common public high school supplies:
- Pencils, Pencil Sharpener, Erasers or Mechanical Pencils, and lead and eraser refills.
- Highlighters to help students study.
- Pens (include red to help yourself with revisions).
- Calculator. Check with your math class on what you need.
- Personal Dictionary.
- Ruler, Protractor, Compass depending on what math courses you are taking this year.
- Notebooks (spiral or composition). Composition-style notebooks are often used with classes that have lab work (chemistry, biology, or physics, for example).
- Graph Paper for math work.
- Loose Leaf Paper.
- 3 Ring Binders and Folders to manage paperwork.
- Index cards to make flashcards to help with studying or to use when making notes for report building.
- Computer memory could be either a USB flash drive or cloud storage to store your work. Check to see how the school wants you to store your data. If the school has a computer lab, they may require you to "donate" a ream of copy paper as well.
- Art supplies may be necessary if you are attending art classes. Likewise, any other specialty classes may require additional supplies or you may need to pay an extra supply fee to use items the school supplies.
What Else You Might Need
Besides supplies that you will use in the classroom, many times students will need the following supplies:
- Backpack or another way to carry your books and supplies. Find out from older students what kids in your school use.
- Locker accessories (locks for lockers that do not supply their own locks, mirror, extra hooks, extra stackable shelves, etc.). Magnetic accessories work well with most lockers as you do not have to worry about attaching the accessories to the locker walls.
- Book covers to protect the books. This can be a matter of personal preference or budget. Paper grocery bags have worked just fine for years but you can also find cloth book covers available.
- Physical Education (PE) or gym gear; there is probably a PE gear list from your school. Most schools have regulations on what kids can wear during PE. You may even have to buy the gym clothes directly from your school or only from authorized suppliers.
- Weekly Planner or calendar to record homework assignments and important dates.
- Emergency supplies. Depending on your school's emergency plan, students may be required to bring in an emergency supply kit. Items can include a flashlight, change of clothes, blanket or towel, and nonperishable food items and water.
Tips When Buying Public School Supplies
Here are some general tips to help you when purchasing your public school supplies:
- How to find out with certainty? Check the school website to see if they have prepared a school supply list. If you cannot find anything online, call the school office to find out when they will publish a school supply list. You may also find our Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist for Public Schools helpful as you prepare for the new school year.
- Don't get the supply list too soon; schools often update them during the summer. Likewise, don't refer to old supply lists (perhaps from older kids in the family) in case the supply lists have been updated.
- Keep receipts in case you need to return or exchange anything.
- Do not get caught up in the hoopla that your child must have a laptop to do their school work. Computers are often available at school and public libraries. While a computer is great for word processing and running other academic programs, only get one if it fits your budget. If your child will be using a school-issued device, our Back-to-School Tech & Online Learning Readiness Checklist offers helpful preparation tips.
Online Sources for Public School Supplies
- Walmart School Supply List has an online tool to help you get ready for school by allowing families to search for participating school supply lists and shop for needed items.
- Target School List Assist makes it easy for you to search for school supply lists and purchase supplies online.
- TeacherLists allows parents to search for official school supply lists by school and grade level, making back-to-school shopping even easier.
Before you shop, you may also want to read our 10 Money-Saving Tips for Back-to-School Shopping to help stretch your back-to-school budget.
Shopping early, comparing prices, and reusing supplies that are still in good condition can help families save money while ensuring students are prepared for a successful start to the 2026 school year.
