Hybrid learning has resulted in higher spending, according to survey

The impact of COVID-19 has stretched into the 2020 fall semester, back-to-school preparations looking dramatically different compared to last year.

With varied school reopening plans and policies occurring across the Kansas City metro and U.S., one broad similarity is the increase in spending.

Despite many students returning to school virtually or with a hybrid plan, a recent back-to-school survey by JLL, a professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management, found that on average, spending per child is up by 8.9 percent.

Survey results found that the average spending per child this fall season was $281 per child this year, compared to $258 last year.

JLL’s survey found that in anticipation of hybrid attendance, parents have been purchasing products outside of the seasonal norm.

More purchasing are being made in electronics, according to reporting by the U.S. Census Bureau, which found that category sales increased by 22.9 percent in July as parents began preparing for virtual learning.

The JLL survey found that nearly 40 percent of households will invest in electronics for remote schooling, while 36 percent will buy home office supplies like desks. Parents who plan to invest in electronics or home office supplies will spend well above the average per child, approximately $369 and $331, respectively.

The survey also takes into account the amount of PPE that continues to be purchased by parents, showing that more than 60 percent of parents will buy personal safety products like masks and hand sanitizer for children this back-to-school season.

The full survey can be found here.