2026 Tax Deductions For Teachers and Coaches
In a 2025 survey of U.S. teachers, 97% of respondents said their allotted budget for supplies (median $200) didn’t meet their students’ needs. Many teachers must spend their own money on essential learning materials, such as books, art supplies, and technology, often adding up to hundreds of dollars per year.
At a time when many educators must bridge budget gaps with their own wallets, an expanded tax deduction for educators (effective for 2026) may better reflect their financial contributions across schools and communities.
Since 2002, a relatively small tax deduction for eligible educators has helped offset some job-related expenses. This “above-the-line” educator expense deduction allows eligible educators (e.g., K-12 teachers, instructors, counselors, principals, and aides who work at least 900 hours in public or private schools) to deduct certain unreimbursed classroom expenses directly from their income, even if they claim the standard deduction. The limit that educators can deduct for classroom expenses is $350 in 2026, up from $300 in 2025, and will be adjusted for inflation in $50 increments (not annually). Two teachers who are married and file jointly can claim a $700 deduction without itemizing in 2026.
A $350 above-the-line deduction amounts to $77 in tax savings for a teacher in the 22% federal tax bracket. Coaches and other extracurricular staff are still not eligible for this long-standing deduction unless they also meet the definition of a classroom educator (such as a P.E. teacher who is also a coach).
A bigger and broader deduction
A separate, brand-new deduction recognizes more of the real-world costs of supporting students both inside and outside the classroom. Starting January 1, 2026, educators can deduct unlimited eligible expenses for supplies used for instructional activity as an itemized deduction. Certain interscholastic coaches and athletic department administrators will qualify as educators for the unlimited deduction, and eligible expenses now include athletic supplies.
Unfortunately, the new tax break will only be helpful for educators with itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction, which isn’t very common. It’s estimated that just 14% of taxpayers will itemize deductions in 2026.2 Therefore, many teachers and coaches will have little choice but to continue asking parents to donate some of the supplies they need and/or raising funds through crowdsourcing websites.
If you plan to claim either of these tax deductions, you should keep detailed receipts. You may also want to review IRS guidance, or consider consulting a tax professional, for details on which expenses will qualify.
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Prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. © 2026 Broadridge Financial Services, Inc.