One-stop shop for classroom supplies: A stress-free solution for teachers

Teachers have reported increased stress levels for years. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, K-12 teachers experience the highest burnout of all U.S. professions. Among the top reasons: additional responsibilities because of staffing shortages. 

In part, that has contributed to 300,000 public school teachers and other staff leaving the field between February 2020 and May 2022. That’s nearly a 3% drop in that workforce based on Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Savvy school leaders who simplify the classroom supplies procurement process can boost teacher morale by enabling them to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time doing what they love: teaching.

One fewer software system

Over the years, technology has increasingly become a part of the classroom. Then, the pandemic forced teachers to learn multiple new software systems overnight. This amplified teacher stress levels, which studies show can hinder student achievement and engagement. 

Adopting a familiar system at school reduces the frustration of adopting new software or processes, easily alleviating at least one pain point for teachers. According to research, 82% of business buyers want the same experience buying for work as when they’re buying for themselves at home. Many educators use Amazon outside of work for convenience, selection and competitive prices.

One-stop shop

Centralizing the purchasing workflow means teachers and staff don’t have to review multiple vendors to find the lowest prices. Improved efficiencies, volume discounts and sophisticated restocking solutions that allow users to establish lists for recurring orders are also a relief for school administrators amid the chaos of supply variabilities and rising costs. 

Administrators can establish budgets for individual users or departments and use Spend Visibility dashboards to track spending patterns, spot compliance issues, and inform budget decisions in real-time. Plus, an e-procurement process can reduce the time and expense of manual procurement by almost 80%.

“Our department heads have access to Amazon Business. Our head custodians and nurses have access. No more waiting weeks to get what is needed. No more drives to the hardware store interrupting the day. They can get right on Amazon Business from their computer and be done with it,” said Chris Passarge, chief operating officer for Lakota Local Schools in Butler County, Ohio, in a 2020 interview.  

One set of login credentials  

Cybersecurity is a top priority for any school or district. However, remembering unique log-in credentials for every platform is cumbersome and can create anxiety while perusing multiple vendors. And when users are required to create unique passwords for each account or app, more than half (59%) choose the same or similar credentials across multiple platforms.

Single Sign On (SSO) offers the best of both worlds: ease of use and increased password strength, without the additional logins. Teachers don’t need to create a new account and remember a separate password, increasing convenience for ease of ordering. It also offers district users responsible for managing budget and compliance streamlined access to purchasing data in less time.

Easy integration

COVID-19 sparked a significant shift to increase e-procurement, with 18% of school districts purchasing supplies online. Amazon Business allows for a seamless transition from brick-and-mortar shopping to e-procurement. 

“As far as enterprise-level software goes, this (Amazon Business) has been far easier to implement than anything I’ve come across. We were able to deploy across all our schools, from pilot to complete rollout, in about two weeks. I don’t anticipate any challenges adding new schools, either. It’s been a pretty simple process,” said Michael Raymond, director of growth and integration, Miami, Florida-based Endeavor Schools.

Nearly half (43%) of teachers say that administrative burdens factor into decisions about leaving the field. With Punchout integration teachers can purchase directly from Amazon without leaving the district’s procurement application expediting the ordering and approval process. And Amazon Business integrates with over 100 leading education procurement platforms, including Skyward, Tyler Munis, PowerSchool eFinance, Oracle Fusion, and more.

“Using Amazon through our financial system’s e-commerce portal has allowed us to realize efficiencies that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Shopping cart information is pulled directly into the requisition, which eliminates double data entry and prevents typing and calculation errors. The process flows smoothly and has reduced order entry times substantially.” said David DeFoy, director of purchasing, Texarkana Independent School District.

Purchasing made simple

In the United States, 9 in 10 educators experience burnout, so it’s no secret that many teachers are overwhelmed. Implementing a more efficient, stress-free classroom supply purchasing process, you can help reduce at least one burden for your most important asset - your teachers. 

Contact Amazon Business for more information on classroom procurement.

Originally published on K-12 Dive, click here to view.