Families are flocking to back-to-school fairs for supplies and health screenings.
HOUSTON — KHOU 11 is your education station and we want families to be prepared for the school year. Many school districts are hosting back-to-school fairs with backpacks, school supplies and health screenings for children.
You can also let your voice be heard. We are asking parents about their questions and concerns with the school year. Take our survey as we prepare to interview superintendents and school officials.
City of Baytown
Date and time: August 8, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Baytown Community Center, 2407 Market St. Baytown, TX 77520
School district: Goose Creek CISD
About: The city is handing out backpacks and other school supplies on a first-come, first-served basis.
More information: https://baytown.org/1218/Back-To-School-Fair
Houston
Date and time: August 2, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de los Americas, Houston, TX 77010
About: The city is handing out backpacks and other school supplies. Health screenings include dental screenings and sealants, vision screenings, mental health screenings, and routine immunizations.
More information: https://houstontx.gov/btsf/
Two-thirds of families have already begun their back-to-school shopping as of early July, marking the earliest start since the National Retail Federation began tracking the trend in 2018, according to a new survey released July 15.
The 67% of shoppers who started early represents a jump from 55% last year, with half citing concerns about potential tariff-driven price increases as motivation for shopping sooner.
“Consumers are being mindful of the potential impacts of tariffs and inflation on back-to-school items, and have turned to early shopping, discount stores and summer sales for savings on school essentials,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights.
K-12 families plan to spend an average of $858.07 this year, down from $874.68 in 2024, but total spending is expected to reach $39.4 billion. College families are budgeting $1,325.85 on average, with total college spending projected at $88.8 billion.
Online shopping remains most popular at 55%, followed by department stores and discount stores. The survey of 7,581 consumers was conducted July 1-7.