GRAFTON, Wis. — Even on Labor Day, parking lots across Ozaukee County were crowded with families making final preparations for the new school year.
Many parents, like the Phillips family, were shopping to complete their back-to-school lists just hours before classes resumed.
Ruby Phillips and his younger brother Tommy are both students at Webster Middle School in Cedarburg. Their family made a last-minute trip to pick up a few final back-to-school items.
"I'm excited to go back," Ruby said. "(It's the) last year to prepare for high school... (We got) one folder, a few pens. Just a few things we forgot on the list," Ruby said.
While back-to-school shopping has always been a yearly endeavor for parents, this year's shopping comes amid growing concerns about rising costs. Jackie Phillips, the boys' mother, has noticed price increases across many categories but found some relief in school supply costs.
"A lot of items at the grocery store, we've noticed an increase," Jackie Phillips said. "The pens, pencils, folders, all that — the prices seemed on par with what we've had in the past, so that was a relief."
According to a Scripps News report, parents are now spending more than $600 per student on back-to-school expenses, with concerns mounting over potential new tariffs that could drive costs even higher.
Watch: Families rush for last-minute back-to-school supplies with rising costs in mind
The impact of rising costs extends beyond individual families. Local charities in Ozaukee County are also feeling the pressure.
A few weeks ago, TMJ4 spoke with Andrea Acosta from the Ozaukee Food Alliance. She noted the significant increase in their organization's spending on school supplies for their yearly giveaways.
"Normally, we spend about six to seven thousand dollars on school supplies, and this year it was about $12,500," Acosta said.
Despite the financial challenges, families are finding some bright spots as the new school year approaches. With warm weather expected for the first week of school, winter clothing purchases can wait a bit longer.
"Looks like we're gonna have great weather the first week, so that's always helpful too," Jackie Phillips said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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