Families are seeing their average budget for the new school year 2020 in France jump by 6.2% compared to last year, according to a study by The Confederation Union of Families (Confédération syndicale des familles – CSF) released on Tuesday, August 18. This is an unusual increase. Let’s explain.

Over six times the inflation, that is 6.2%. This is the increase in the average family budget for the start of the school year in 2020, according to the annual study of the CSF published on Tuesday, August 18.

This is surprising, given that in previous years, “the cost of tuition has followed the rate of inflation closely, with figures ranging from 0 to 1%,” notes the CSF.

For CP classes (first year of primary school), this increase is even 11.4% for a budget of 177.28 euros and 12.8% to 407.68 euros for sixième classes (first year of middle school).

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“Parents invest more in level changes because this is a pivotal moment for their children,” says the CSF.

If we have a closer look, we discover that expenses for books, sports equipment or extra costs (insurance, photo, cooperative…) are fairly stable.

However, for consumables, especially in middle school and high school, expenditure has increased sharply: for sixième classes, the consumables budget has risen from 186.63 to 235.70 euros; for quatrième (third year of middle school) from 171.59 to 207.77 euros; and for seconde (first year of high school) from 177.77 to 218.53 euros.

Teachers expect a new lockdown in France

How could this be possible when the coronavirus crisis is causing great uncertainty in household incomes?

The CSF first found more items in the lists gathered than last year, as teachers are expecting a possible new lockdown in France: “The period of confinement probably affected the choice of teachers in the making up of the lists, many of them were more willing to support the children’s study at home. This resulted in greater demands,” says the CSF.

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Then, the coronavirus crisis has highlighted a major trend: “the increasingly important place of digital technology in children’s schooling”.

In fact, from the sixième onwards, “it becomes difficult for a child to do certain tasks without a minimum of digital equipment: computer, tablet, internet connection, printer”.

However, “for several years now, including digital equipment in lists has become common practice”.

Awareness and emotional side of parents

Another significant point is the awareness of parents during the confinement of the need to provide quality materials for their children.

“Every day, the consequences of the pandemic worry and concern us. Inequalities between rich and poor are growing. The current unemployment rate (over 14%) and the number of people living below the poverty threshold (over 10 million people) are at record levels. This climate of pessimism and anxiety is encouraging parents to invest more in their children’s education,” the Confederation said.

The emotional side is also to be considered.

“Eager to erase the bad memory of the confinement,” some parents “were more generous than usual in gifting on the purchase of brand-name supplies”.

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Even if it means falling prey to the artifice of certain marketing processes: the CSF reports an increase in the purchase of supplies “bearing the effigy of famous personalities or teams”.

Finally, as far as the most disadvantaged parents are concerned, this year’s increase of 100 euros in the back-to-school allowance (ARS) has helped the household budgets.

As the CSF points out, “100 euros does not cover the loss of a job.” But this increase gives “a breath of fresh air to families to face the new school year and its unavoidable expenses…”.