Here’s How AI Could Drive up Your Back to School Costs

Back-to-school shopping in Georgia now comes with a sneaky surcharge: keeping up with your kid’s classroom artificial intelligence without melting the family modem.

As schools plug in more AI-powered tools, many households are discovering the hidden homework is financial, upgrading laptops, boosting Wi-Fi and paying for subscriptions just to keep pace.

💸 Why It Matters: Tech creep isn’t new and it hits families first, and hardest. If your child’s Chromebook wheezes through an AI assignment, they’re the one falling behind. The National Retail Federation projects K–12 families will spend an average of $858.07 this year—and more of that is drifting from pencils to processors.

🤖 What’s New In Class: Artificial intelligence isn’t coming—it’s here. Digital Promise reports 93% of 31 school districts it surveyed are using AI tools. And in an Education Week LinkedIn poll of 1,186 respondents in February 2025, 60% of teachers said they’ve integrated AI into lessons.

• The catch: implementation is swift; support is spotty. “AI isn’t just some distant trend anymore,” says MarketBeat.com founder Matt Paulson. “It’s in classrooms right now, and it’s creating real financial pressure on families who weren’t planning to upgrade their tech every couple of years.”

🧩 Between The Lines: Schools roll out software; parents foot the hardware. Paulson puts it bluntly: “Schools are rolling out AI without fully thinking through the downstream costs. Families are being asked to provide higher-performance laptops, tablets, and internet packages that many simply can’t budget for—especially if they have multiple kids.”

• Even the “good enough” gear isn’t good enough for long. “It’s not just about buying a device once,” Paulson notes. “AI-driven tools require processing power. That means older Chromebooks from three years ago may no longer cut it. And if your Wi-Fi lags, your child can’t keep up with real-time assignments. That creates a digital divide—even among families who thought they were well-equipped.”

📶 The Tell-Tale Tech Troubles: Buffering during live assignments. “Glitchy” school platforms. Required apps that won’t install. If those sound familiar, that’s the academic equivalent of a check-engine light. “By the time you notice the problem, your kid might already be falling behind,” Paulson warns. “That’s why it pays to be proactive—not reactive.”

🧭 How To Spend Smart (Not Sore): MarketBeat’s money triage for families

• Start with the school. “Ask for a detailed list of tech requirements for the school year,” Paulson advises. “Many districts will share specs for recommended devices, Wi-Fi speeds, and required software if you ask—but they don’t always publicize it.”
• Explore subsidy programs. Some low-to-moderate income families may qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offers discounts on internet service and devices. Paulson adds, “You might be leaving money on the table just because you didn’t know these programs exist.”
• Buy refurbished when possible. “Refurbished tech from reputable sellers can offer significant savings,” Paulson says. “Just make sure the specs meet your school’s AI requirements—especially RAM and processing speed.”
• Check for school-sponsored software. “Before you shell out for a subscription, find out what’s already covered through the school,” Paulson notes, citing tools like Grammarly or Khanmigo.
• Don’t skip cybersecurity. “If your kids are using AI tools that collect personal data, you need to think about cybersecurity,” Paulson said. “At a minimum, install antivirus software and activate parental controls.”

🌐 The Big Picture: AI is the new school supply, and it comes with its own form of sticker shock. It’s the ongoing cost of staying compatible—faster internet, cloud storage, and app fees layered on top of that $858.07 average.

The Sources: Digital Promise survey of 31 districts on AI usage; Education Week LinkedIn poll (February 2025) of 1,186 respondents; National Retail Federation 2025 K–12 back-to-school spending projection; MarketBeat.com, and Matt Paulson.