Tax break for teachers: Ohio lawmaker proposes deduction for hundreds spent on school supplies

COLUMBUS - Teachers in Ohio spend hundreds of dollars each year on books, pencils, computers, furniture and even basketballs for their students. 

Sen. Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard, wants to give those teachers a break – a tax break.

Federal law already allows teachers to deduct up to $250 spent on school supplies from their taxable income for federal taxes (or up to $500 for married teachers filing jointly.) Kunze is proposing a state tax deduction for teachers who spend more than $250 on supplies, up to $500.

For example, if Ms. Frizzle spends $300 on laboratory equipment, she could deduct $250 on her federal tax return and $50 on her state return. If Mr. Feeny spends $100 on books, he could deduct that from his federal tax return only.  

Items that could be deducted include professional development courses, books, computer equipment and software, furniture and even gym supplies.

About 94 percent of teachers nationwide reported spending an average of $479 on school supplies, according to the U.S. Department of Education's teacher questionnaire.

"We realize that Ohio’s educators often spend more money out of their own pockets to prepare and educate their students," Kunze wrote in a letter to fellow lawmakers, seeking support for the idea. 

Melissa Cropper, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, said every deduction helps, but teachers would rather see schools adequately funded so they aren't forced to spend their own money. 

"It's a good gesture," Cropper said. "It’s overlooking the bigger problem that teachers shouldn’t have to buy supplies out of their own pockets."

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Perry County, has said he wants to tackle Ohio's unconstitutional method of funding schools. A duo of bipartisan lawmakers has spent months looking at how the state pays for education. 

"We will be looking at the school funding formula," Senate President Larry Obhof told reporters at a Tuesday news conference. "We will spend the better part of the next four or five months digging into that issue." 

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