As schoolrooms statewide prepare to reopen, Mississippi teachers say a redesigned process to access state-supplied classroom funds is creating new hurdles at a time when many educators need supplies most.
What's changing
The Education Enhancement Fund (EEF) — a procurement card program established in 2012 — provides each K-12 public school teacher in Mississippi with $748 for classroom supplies. That amounts to roughly $25 million in state support annually. This summer, the Mississippi Department of Education shifted from physical procurement cards to a digital wallet platform provided through a one-year, $573,000 contract with ClassWallet, an online vendor marketplace.
State officials said the move was intended to make distribution easier by allowing districts to access funds earlier, on July 15, instead of the previous Aug. 1 activation deadline. The platform also centralizes pre-approved vendors and allows teachers to make direct purchases online.
"ClassWallet streamlines the process of buying classroom supplies, and the change reflects input from school district leaders across Mississippi,"
— State Superintendent Lance Evans (statement released by Mississippi Department of Education)
Teachers report access problems
Despite the stated benefits, teachers told reporters the new system is creating practical problems:
- Required training sessions to activate the digital wallets are primarily live and have been difficult to access, with online meetings filling to capacity.
- Many local vendors teachers rely on are not included among the more than 160 vendors on ClassWallet’s marketplace, forcing educators to use a slower reimbursement process to buy from hometown suppliers.
- Some teachers say the change could again leave money unavailable when they need to set up classrooms in July and August.
The Department of Education lists five Mississippi-based vendors as approved for reimbursements on its website, along with national outlets such as Walmart and the online marketplace TeachersPayTeachers. But educators who regularly buy from local stores say the reimbursement route is burdensome and time-consuming compared with prior procurement-card purchases.
Background and stakes
The EEF program was touted as a way to cut classroom out-of-pocket spending by teachers. A 2025 report from State Auditor Shad White's office found that a large portion of the funds were inaccessible during the summer because of the Aug. 1 activation requirement. The department's change to an earlier access date and a digital platform was presented as a remedy.
| Item | Amount / Date |
|---|---|
| Per-teacher allotment | $748 |
| Approximate total | $25 million |
| ClassWallet contract | $573,000 (one-year) |
| District access date | July 15 (new) |
For many teachers, timing matters: school supply purchases often peak in July and early August as educators set up classrooms. When funds arrive late or processes are difficult, teachers frequently cover costs themselves or delay purchases.
What officials say and next steps
State education officials maintain the switch will streamline purchases and reflects district input. Teachers and district staff are urging the department to expand training options, clarify the vendor approval process and increase the number of approved Mississippi vendors so money can be spent locally without cumbersome reimbursements.
As the school year approaches, districts and teachers will be watching whether the digital wallet and training rollout can be adjusted to avoid last-minute disruptions to classroom preparation.
Jerome Patterson is the Mississippi correspondent at News Block.
