A teacher is speaking out about the lack of budget for classroom supplies. Between her own money and donations, she's spent $2,000 so far this year.

• Megan, a kindergarten teacher, posted a TikTok about the low budgets teachers have for supplies.
• Since then, she's spent $200 herself and received $1,800 in donations from her Amazon Wish List.

In July, Megan walked into her new classroom for the first time to teach again after a six-year hiatus as a stay-at-home parent. Her Florida public school asked her to create a welcoming and inviting space for the incoming kindergarteners — the barren classroom was anything but.

"So frustrated going into my classroom today. No shelves for a classroom library," Megan, who asked that her last name not be used, captioned a now-viral TikTok. "The desks are weird for a Kindergarten class. No cabinets. No rug. No left over supplies or books. How much of my own money am i expected to spend?"

Teachers around the country are buying classroom supplies on their own

As school starts around the country, parents and caregivers aren't the only ones budgeting for supplies. In many school districts, teachers who return to empty or under-furnished classrooms end up spending their own money to create functional and comfortable spaces for their students.

In a 2021 survey by AdoptAClassroom.org, 95% of teachers reported that their classroom-supply budget isn't enough to meet their students' needs, and they spend an average of $750 of their own money on school supplies each year.

While some teachers feel lucky to receive larger supply budgets from their schools, others stretch their budget by sharing supplies between teachers. Megan said her first classroom had leftover items from the previous teacher, so she was caught off guard by how empty her new one was.

"I'm at a Title 1 school in a very poor area, so I don't know what my students are going home to," Megan told Insider. "It's really important to me that our room feels welcoming, like a home away from home."

Lack of budget for supplies is likely contributing to teacher burnout

Megan said she spent about $200 before her video and accompanying Amazon Wish List went viral. Since then, another $800 of classroom supplies has been purchased for her, and around $1,000 of her Wish List has been covered but not yet delivered. All in all, $2,000 for classroom supplies this school year has come out of her pocket or from donations.

Fellow teachers quickly chimed in on Megan's TikTok to share their own struggles. "Yup!! That's all you get. Desks, chairs, and textbooks," one user commented. "That's what people don't realize. We buy EVERYTHING!!"

For many teachers, the financial burden and lack of support are reasons to reconsider their careers. Megan struggled with the decision to go back to teaching, knowing her meager salary, coupled with her $60,000 student-loan debt, would make it difficult to meet her students' needs.

"I know this is a big reason teachers are leaving the field," she said. "We already don't make that much, so unless you're married to someone with a great job, you're spending your minuscule paychecks on things you need for your class."

School's been in session for three weeks in many places, and while she's received enough supplies to teach, Megan still doesn't have everything she needs — the class is still missing a rug, and the kids don't have anywhere to hang their backpacks.

Educators around the county are in the same boat. Megan encouraged caregivers to ask their children's teachers if they need anything for their classrooms or if they have Amazon Wish Lists. And anyone can donate to classroom-supply funds at DonorsChoose.

It's important to note that policies vary from county to county; some school districts don't allow teachers to accept donations for their classes. For Megan, that would be a dealbreaker. "You have to have support," she said.