"Teacher Must-Haves"

Teacher Must-Haves for 2023

If you’re a K-12 teacher, you can get the teacher must-haves you need for the 2023-2024 school year through the AdoptAClassroom.org Marketplace. 

According to our recent teacher survey, teachers like you spend an average of $860 to supply their classrooms. Overwhelmingly, teachers need items like basic supplies, books, and inclusive/adaptive classroom materials. On our list of teacher must-haves, you’ll find the supplies you really need to make the school year run smoothly. 

2023 Teacher Must-Haves

To access any of these supply suggestions, log in to your AdoptAClassroom.org page and click “Go to Shop.” The vendors for each of these products are in bold below and you can access them through by clicking on their logo.

Basic School Supplies

84% of teachers surveyed said that they needed basic supplies for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Featured: Write Again Dry Erase Boards – Pack of 12 Really Good Stuff

This item was one of our best-selling items in 2022. From kindergarteners practicing writing to ninth graders doing interactive lessons, dry erase boards are a versatile classroom staple.

Featured: Dry Erase Sleeves from Fun Express

On a similar note, these dry erase sleeves will help you save trips to the copier and allow your young students a safe space to practice their newfound skills. 

Featured: Expo Markers from Staples

Whether you need them for students or for your own whiteboard, markers are always on a teacher’s must-have list. With a colorful 36 pack from Staples, you’ll be buying more time before you have to purchase a new pack. 

Featured: Ticonderoga Pencils – 96 pack from Staples

We know that pencils go fast in teachers’ classrooms and that educators need to stock up to make sure their students can do written work. You might need to grab a few 96 packs of pencils to get you through the whole year, but the bigger the starting package, the better! While you’re at it, you might want to pick up one of Staples’ pencil sharpeners to keep as a prized possession on your desk.

Books

55% of teachers surveyed said that they needed books for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Featured: “A Morning with Grandpa” from Lee & Low Books

“A Morning with Grandpa” is a sweet story of intergenerational connection as a young Asian-American girl learns Tai Chi with her grandfather. We recommend hitting the “Shop by Vendor” button on our marketplace and clicking “Lee & Low” to peruse more children’s books that highlight diverse cultures and stories that will fly to the top of your must-have list.

Featured: Guided Reading Sets from Scholastic Books

Scholastic has dozens of options of reading sets for small group instruction for students of different grade levels. The reading sets contain six copies of the title. We’re featuring “Tristen Strong Punches a Hole in the Universe” by Kwame Mbalia from Rick Riordan’s press. “Tristan Strong” weaves a tale of Black American folk heroes and African mythology with a strong seventh grader at its center. 

Other AdoptAClassroom.org vendors who offer a variety of books include Lerner Publishing, AKJ Education, and Planting People, Growing Justice

Adaptive Materials

55% of teachers surveyed said that they needed inclusive/adaptive materials for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Featured: Abilitations Small Weighted Caterpillar from School Specialty

For students with sensory issues, weighted items help calm them down and help them feel focused at the task at hand. School Specialty also carries weighted blankets, fidget items, sensory tools, and supplies to build important motor skills. 

You can search for more sensory items through the “Adapted-Inclusive” category after you’ve reached School Specialty through the AdoptAClassroom.org website.

Ready to Start Shopping?

If you have your teacher must-have list ready to go, you can go ahead and log in. If you’re not registered with us, register here. 

Running low on AdoptAClassroom.org funds? We have a lot of funding opportunities coming your way for Back-to-School. Check out our funding opportunities page.