ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — All Rowan County elementary schools will provide school supplies to students for the upcoming school year, with families only responsible for bringing a backpack and, depending on the school, either a pencil box or headphones.
The program comes as costs for elementary school families have risen sharply. According to Savings.com, budgets for kindergarten through third grade rose by as much as 26% during the 2024-2025 school year — the most significant increase of any grade level. The National Retail Federation reports families budgeted around $140 on school supplies alone in 2024.
Clearfield Elementary Principal Bethanie Henry said the financial pressure on families is real.
"Coming to school is an expense. You have to have shoes, clothes, backpacks, and supplies. There are a lot of expenses for our families," Henry said.
The program is funded through community partners, donations, and grants. Clearfield Elementary is entering its second year of providing supplies, giving the school a head start on the countywide effort.
Henry said the impact will be immediate for students.
"Just knowing they can just come in and hang their backpack in their cubby — they are going to sit down and have everything they need to be successful," Henry said.
For Henry, the supplies represent something larger than a checklist of materials.
"When we tell our kids that they have a community behind you, I hope they honestly feel that with these donations and grants we were able to get — that they are supported in their success as a student," Henry said.
Henry said summer is not a break from that work — it is when the preparation happens.
"Even though we are going to take a break during the summer and they are going to go home and spend time with their families. We want them to know that we're still planning and thinking about them. School doesn't stop for us," Henry said.
