COLUMBUS, Ohio — Teachers may not think twice about it -- but many spend money out of their own pockets on classroom supplies. The deadline to file taxes is coming up and teachers can write off up to $250 worth. But there's a new push to boost that to $1,000.
Inside Ecole Kenwood French Immersion Elementary School in Columbus Aimee Pace uses little surprises to make a big impact on her third-grade students.
"Spending money on those little extra things that make learning fun and relevant,” she said.
And it goes beyond stickers and pencils.
“I may spend money and go get things that I need to recreate the Polar Express in the room,” she said.
Even though she says she doesn't think much about it -- it all adds up. Right now, teachers can write off $250 worth on their taxes.
There's new proposed legislation -- backed by Senator Sherrod Brown to increase that to $1,000.
And teachers like Pace say it would make a difference.
“Usually Amazon is probably my number one go-to,” she said.
She said this year she's spent on Amazon alone “probably way more than a couple of thousand dollars."
While many teachers utilize the convenience of Amazon, they also seek out discount supply stores. Supply stores like Terrific Teaching Tools in Gahanna. For the last 12 years -- this supply store has been helping teachers from all over -- some drive in from out of state.
“Any store that's going to offer you a discount whether it's ten, twenty percent, educators usually jump on that,” Pace said.
Educators who don't hesitate to go the extra mile.