Josh Stein Shares “Ready. Set. Save!” Plan To Cut Costs For North Carolina Families & Teachers During Back-To-School Season

This week, Attorney General and Democratic nominee for Governor Josh Stein visited communities across North Carolina to share his “Ready. Set. Save!” back-to-school plan, which aims to cut costs for families and teachers as the school year begins. 

“The new school year brings new expenses for parents and teachers working to set our kids up for a successful school year,” said Attorney General and Democratic nominee for Governor Josh Stein. “As Governor, I will prioritize common-sense, cost-cutting policies that help ease the burden on our hardworking families and teachers.”

At press conferences in Charlotte and Greenville, Stein shared the components of the “Ready. Set. Save!” plan, including reinstating an August sales tax holiday weekend, providing teachers with a stipend to help cover the out-of-pocket costs of school supplies, and investing in free school meals to ensure kids have the food they need to be ready to learn. 

These savings come at a time when reports show that the average teacher in North Carolina spends $1,338 of their own money per year on classroom supplies, making the state the fourth-most expensive for teachers out-of-pocket classroom supply costs. Meanwhile, the average family spends nearly $600 on back-to-school shopping. 

Stein previously announced his support for a Working Families Tax Cut, a reinstatement of the state Earned Income Tax Credit that would benefit over 2 million North Carolinians, including over a million children, providing an average of $500 per individual and nearly $1500 for a family with three kids. This week, he also visited Goldsboro and Leland on his “Real Time with Stein” tour to talk to voters about his “Ready. Set. Save!” plan and hear from people about their concerns and priorities for the future of North Carolina.