Educators Discount

Academic Superstore Software savings for students, teachers, & schools. Not all manufacturers listed on their website offer discounts to K-12 students or home-schooled students. Eligibility matrix and special restrictions: https://www.academicsuperstore.com/page/how_to_buy

Shop direct from the Adobe Education Store and receive discounts on select software, including bundles and suites. Adobe requires proof of employment as an educator before applying the discount

Whether you’d like to purchase Adobe products for yourself or want to learn how your institution can buy for classroom or school use, you can get started here. They offer student and teacher discounts and licensing options tailored to institutions. https://www.adobe.com/offer-terms/student_teacher_eligibility.html

Am I Eligible? Homeschooler – Yes! Teacher of a homeschooled student — defined by state homeschooling regulations

Apple Homeschool Discount Apple now recognizes the growing demand of homeschoolers, and they are making the full range of Apple’s educational products and solutions available to homeschools. More info is on their page sales and refunds terms and conditions.

The ASTC Association of Science and Technology Centers allows members to sample some of the world’s most exciting science centers and museums while on the road. The Passport Program entitles visitors to free general admission. It does not include free admission to planetarium and larger-screen theater presentations, nor does it include museum store discounts and other discounts associated with museum membership unless stated otherwise. Please see their website for program details at ASTC Passport Program https://www.astc.org/passport/.

Barnes and Noble Membership Collect stamps to save with Rewards. 1 stamp for every $10 spent in a purchase. Exclusions apply. 10 stamps = $5 reward. eBooks and audiobooks included. Check their website for terms and conditions.

Barnes & Noble USED TO OFFER PreK-12 educators, librarians and homeschoolers a 20% discount off the publisher’s list price on most hardcover and paperback books used in the classroom (school materials). https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/en-us/articles/12748207536923-Changes-to-the-Educator-Discount

My local Barnes & Noble has a used book section where you USED TO receive the Educator Discount on. Note: Not all Barnes & Noble has a used book section.

Here is a list of the Barnes & Noble that have a Used Book Section:

• Grand Rapids, MI
• Rochester Hills, MI
• Roseville, MN
• Paramus, NJ
• Burlington, VT
• Madison, WI
• Pittsford, NY

UNKNOWN if they still offer Educator Appreciation weeks or Field Trips. As soon as I talk with my local store, I’ll update.

During their special Educator Appreciation Weeks, you’d save up to 25% on both classroom and personal purchases. For more info see B&N Educator Program Terms & Conditions

Field Trips – Looking for an interesting destination for your next field trip? Just call your local Barnes & Noble bookstore. The Community Relations Manager will be happy to help you plan an informative, fun-filled visit.

Teachers receive 10% off purchases of classroom materials. You must show proof of certification/school identification to be eligible for the benefit. I haven’t been to Ben Franklin since last time I was Up North. Please call to see if offer is also available to homeschoolers before you go.
http://www.bfranklincrafts.com/KidsCraftsBL-Teachers.html

Update: All I can find on their website is two locations. There may be some scattered throughout the country but none that I am aware of. The one Up North has permanently closed.

Book Warehouse For educators, librarians or home schoolers with a current ID, they offer an additional 15% discount off of their already low prices. It’s part of their Teachers of America program, and you can sign up at any National Book Warehouse, Foozles or Book Market location.

The Three Michigan locations are:

• Tanger Outlet Center in Howell, MI, 517-548-0941
• Horizon Outlet Center in Monroe, MI, 734-457-3510
• Tanger Outlet Center in West Branch, MI, 989-343-0568

All locations are closed.

Boulder Book Store (Boulder, CO) offers a 20% discount to educators. View program info at https://www.boulderbookstore.net/educator-discount-program.

Update: It looks like Boulder Book Store no longer offers a discount to home educators.

Box Tops for Education https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/ is a program by General Mills which gives nonprofit educational groups money for each box top they send in. The box tops have a special coupon on the boxes that state “Box Top$ for Education”.

For example, our local group used the money to bring in programming like Jim Weiss or on various field trips. Group members collect the specially marked box top, cut them out, and give them to their group coordinator. The coordinator will batch them and mail to General Mills.

Go to https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/ to sign up and designate your group as ’school’ and you can then access all kinds of information – including coupons for products that qualify for Box Tops for Education. This will give your group money to help defray building use fees and money to bring in extra classes and events at lower prices. Also, if you shop online, there are links to online stores that will give your group a percentage of what you spend. There are well over 75 stores including Oriental Trading Co., Target, and Lands’ End. Be sure to bring your box tops to your events, where your coordinator should have an envelope or other collecting bin to put them into. If you can’t get to an event, contact your coordinator to make arrangements to get them from you. Box Tops do have expiration dates.

The Box Tops for Education program is open to Internal Revenue Service recognized 501(c)(3) home school associations in the United States, organized and operated primarily for educational purposes and containing a class of 15 or more students in one or more grades from kindergarten through eighth grade.
https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/official-rules

Discovery’s program was called “Discovery Passport Rewards”. You sign up for the free program. You can also fill out an application in store and receive your card. Use it whenever you make a purchase from a Discovery Channel Store, from Discovery.com or from most Discovery Channel Catalogs. You will earn one point for every dollar you spend. Each time you accumulate 150 points, they’ll mail you a reward certificate good for $10 off your next purchase. If you want to check on your point totals or have other questions, ask a store associate, go to https://passport.discovery.com/ or call.

Discovery Channel Stores are closed.

FedEx Office Educator Savings Program was called FedEx Kinko’s Educator Savings Program that offered 15% discount on most products and services at participating FedEx Office’s nationwide. To receive your discount, you presented your discount card when making a purchase in-store or at their website and the discount was automatically applied. Unlike other educator discount programs, the Educator Savings Program has no limit on the savings you can acquire each quarter and each year. You’d also received special e-mail messages from time to time with information and special offers geared specifically to educators. Card must be presented at time of order to receive benefit and is non-transferable. As of March 2024, I am not able to find any discount information on their website for educators.

Fedex Office offers their FedEx Office Print Preferred Program to help retail customers save on printing services. Customer will receive a 10% discount on the retail price. You must present your FedEx Office account number. View their site for info on the program. https://www.office.fedex.com/default/print-preferred

GreatScopes GreatScopes Microscopes is now offering a 10% discount to homeschoolers on any microscope $149 or more. Their microscopes are already discounted 25% or more from retail, so the total value to homeschoolers is very high.

As a microscope dealer for twelve years and a homeschooler for twenty years, John Lind can tell you there really is no one-size-fits-all microscope for homeschoolers. At GreatScopes they have a microscope to meet the needs of just about any homeschooler.

How do you get the discount? Homeschoolers are invited to use the customer code “HS10″ at checkout, and the discount will immediately be taken off your microscope order of $149 or more.

Quality equipment, great prices. Contact Great Scopes or call toll-free 877-454-6364

Many thanks to John Lind for providing this information.

Half Price Books You will receive a 10% discount card good at all of their brick-and-mortar locations. Homeschoolers should provide some sort of identification that verifies you’re an educator from your state or local homeschooling organization where applicable. Discount cards must be renewed annually. Apply in-store for their Educator’s Discount Card to save 10%. View program info at https://www.hpb.com/our-culture.html.

Hancock Fabrics had educator discount cards offering 15% off purchases. Their program was called the Red Apple Card. Hancock Fabrics issued their discount cards yearly. Valid for in-store purchases only, not online. Hancock Fabrics also had a mobile club with text message coupons, a coupon page on their website, and an affiliate program. (Updated January 2015)
www.hancockfabrics.com
Permanently closed (Updated March 2024)

Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts https://www.joann.com/ Offers a 15% discount card to educators for purchases in-store or online. https://www.joann.com/teacher-discount/ The discount is available for both regular & sale priced items. Discount excludes special orders, leased department merchandise and gift cards.

For the year 2007-2008, when you visit Jo-Ann’s, take your card from last year with you to the service desk and ask for the new one. The store can then provide you with the 2007-2008 Teacher Card. More info about the card and how to use it online is on the back of the Jo-Ann Teacher Rewards card. You do not need to join any business or consumer group to receive your card in-store. If you do not have a card from last year, bring along other information such as your homeschool support group membership card or the cover of a homeschool publication showing your subscription information, you could also bring your other educator discount cards — which are probably already in your wallet anyway :o). If you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact Cyndie Hood-Taylor of Guest Services directly at 1-888-739-4120 ext 6672. Ms Hood-Taylor gave me that phone number in 2005. If you cannot contact her there, you can email Guest Services through Jo-Ann’s website on their Contact Us page at https://www.joann.com/contactus/.

Lakeshore Learning offers the Lakeshore Rewards that is valid on in-store purchases only. You’ll save 15% on most teacher resource items; receive advance notice of upcoming sales & events, and more. Fill out the application in the store & they’ll hand you your card. You can sign up online at https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/rewards/.
Check to see if your local store has Saturday afternoon craft time for kids (usually for ages 3-up). Their website notes craft times currently available. Meanwhile, they have a lot of free resources for kids that you can print out or view for learning enhancement. Their Lakeshore Learning YouTube Channel has over 5 playlists of teaching tips and learning fun.

Learning Gizmos, a teacher supply store in Warren, has decided to bring supplies to the teachers in three pop-up stores planned for Oakland, Genesee and St. Clair county school buildings this month and in August.

“With the closing of the Secondary Teacher Store and of Erasers and Crayons just this past year, we knew we had to do something to meet the needs of teachers in southeast Michigan,” said Nancy A. Korte, Learning Gizmos’ owner. “Especially as more and more customers asked if we’d ever consider opening up stores closer to where they live and work.”

Read more from the Detroit Free Press article and to find when the pop-up store will be by you. As of this writing, I already missed the one closest to me but the next will be St. Clair County’s Gardens Elementary School, Tuesday, Aug. 4, and Wednesday, Aug. 5, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

I did not know the Secondary Teacher Store closed. I really liked that store but they refused to offer discounts to homeschoolers like they offered to teachers.

Save the Date! Learning Gizmo’s 4th Annual Teacher Swap Sale is coming September 19 2015. Check their Facebook page for more info.

Makin’ Music Rockin’ Rhythms Fun, Educational Music for Families with Young Children. They used to offer a 10% discount. Here’s how it worked: If you order online, just indicate under special instructions that you would like the home school discount, and they’ll make the adjustment to your final bill. You can contact them to see if they still offer this homeschool discount.

Homeschool Educators can enjoy an additional 15% Off entire purchase including sale items. This is now easier than ever because you can sync your educator status to your Michaels Rewards account and your discount will be automatically applied to in store and online purchases moving forward.

• Who Qualifies: https://www.michaels.com/coupon-policy-and-price-guarantee#teacher-discount
  • All teachers, staff and faculty Pre-K through Post-Grad within the US.
  • Teachers who work in daycare centers, early childhood learning centers and home schools.
  • Instructors/Teachers of After School Programs, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc.

Missouri Botanical Garden (St. Louis, MO) The Garden is pleased to offer teachers a 15% discount in the Garden’s gift shop to purchase materials such as curriculum guides, children’s literature, educational toys, plants, and planting supplies, for classroom use. The cost of the discount card is just $1 and the card does not expire.
To receive a discount card, please bring proof as an educator and ask for an educator’s discount form. The discount applies only to educational materials. View program info at Teacher Resources.

March 2024 update: I found no program info for Teacher Resources. I did locate this: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/members/membership-faqs#la-20660409-does-the-garden-offer-any-discounts-on-membership The Garden also recognizes employees of our Corporate Partners, active educators, and other groups at special times throughout the year. Contact membership@mobot.org for more information.

View their online resources for some fun freebies Top 10 Ways to Explore your Neighborhood

Office Depot The program is called “Office Depot Star Teacher Program”. The information sheet I picked up states that you’ll receive a 5% discount on every purchase you make, plus 15% off all Copy & Print Center Services. When you sign up, you can use the discount that day but be sure to get your enrollment confirmation sheet. It will take approximately 10 – 14 business days to receive your card. Office Depot was very courteous and helpful when I asked them about their educator’s discount, and they had their information sheet readily available. Savings not valid for purchases from Tech Depot, purchases of Gift Cards, computers, postage stamps, package delivery services, wireless, satellite or Internet services or online orders. Please see their terms & conditions for more info on the program. Discount valid for in-store purchases only. The snail mail address is: The Office Depot Star Teacher Program, P.O. Box 1276, Deerfield Beach, FL 33443 To phone Office Depot: 877.789.4544 Mon-Fri 9:00am-8:00pm EST. For more information or questions about the Star Teacher program please call 1-877-789-4544.

Update March 2024 https://www.officedepot.com/l/rewards/exclusive-savings

Office Max teacher discount

See https://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/office-depot-teacher-discount/

Pine River Paddlesports Center & Quiet Campground located in the middle of the Manistee National Forest, one-half hour east of Cadillac, Michigan. Sunday thru Friday is “Home-School Discount Days” at PRPC. Throughout the 2012 season, they’ll be giving all homeschoolers a 15% discount on all PRPC goods and services, Sunday thru Friday, and also on Saturdays before July and after August.

PRPC has become a popular basecamp for families taking advantage of the limitless forest, river, and lake recreation opportunities in the neighborhood. They have dozens of inland lakes and streams, several area hiking & biking trails, Lake Michigan beaches are just a half hour away, and Sleeping Bear Dunes just over an hour. They also have a 27-hole Frisbee/Disc Golf Course, a Slackline, a super-safe auto-belay Rock Climbing Wall, and a Tree Identification Challenge that is both fun and educational for kids ages 4 to 104. For a better idea of the fun stuff to do here, please visit https://www.thepineriver.com/campground

PrintPal.com use to offer this: Eligible organizations receive a 10% discount on all orders over $100. They offer free shipping on orders over $40 and same day shipping on in-stock items. For more information, or to confirm your eligibility; please call 541-770-3298 or email them. You can contact them to see if they still offer this homeschool discount.

Scholastic Book Fairs The link will take you to their webpage and you can find your nearest location. My first book fair was pretty amazing. Boxes of books all over the place, and they carry cd’s too! Scholastic does not advertise their book fairs. Since we are homeschoolers we may attend. I do not recall them checking my id when we went the previous times. I know public and private school teachers have their “card” and I also have one for the local homeschool group I belong to. You can always make a card if you do not have one and put your school name on it. I made myself business cards with my school name printed on them.

Update March 2024 From Publishers Weekly is an article After Outcry, Scholastic Lays the Groundwork for Its Spring Book Fairs
I do not see any information for a Warehouse Sale http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/events/warehouse/

Staples Program is named “Staples Teacher Rewards“. Reward Checks – Earn 2% back in rewards up to $15 per quarter when you spend $200 or more at Staples within a calendar quarter on most items with a few exceptions. Get all your phone and online orders delivered FREE, no matter how much you spend. Find out more information on Staples’ savings programs such as Reward Checks, Teacher Bonus Seasons, Staples Bonus Rewards, Free Delivery, 20% back on Copy & Print Center purchases, Upgrade Benefits, Exclusive Offers by visiting their website. Staples also offers Upromise points.

Save more as a teacher with Target Circle Who is eligible for Target’s teacher discount?

• First, you must be a Target Circle member. The following individuals are eligible for a teacher discount:
  • Teachers, staff, and faculty employed by K-12 schools and colleges/universities in the United States
  • Daycare center and early childhood learning center teachers
  • Home school teachers

How to Verify Your Status

The Teachers Store (Michigan) Sign up in-store for their Valued Customer program. They’ll give you a plastic card with a customer id on it. You’ll get get 5% of your total (before tax) plus the amount of sales tax to use toward future purchases in the form of a Store Credit Voucher (which expires in one year) — The savings begins when you’ve accumulated $100.00. I called to double-check the info and was told the saving offer fluctuates. When I first wrote of this discount, it was minimum purchase of $25.00 required to take advantage of the savings. Don’t lose the voucher – treat it like cash. I asked them if the credit voucher reflects on the card — it does not. Example of the discount: When I found the store the other day, I spent $58.72. My total (before tax) was 55.40 and the sales tax was 3.32. The next time I make a purchase there, I will get a store credit of 2.77 (5% of 55.40) + 3.32 (the sales tax) totaling $6.09. It’s a really neat store and has a clearance area.
Tell them Homeschooling on a Shoestring sent you.

•  Lansing 517-393-0235
•  Livonia 734-525-0720
•  Sterling Heights, 14 Mile between Ryan & Dequindre, 586-979-8050 (<– I think this store is closed now)

Update March 2024: Both the Sterling Heights and Livonia locations are Permanently closed. The Lansing location has gone on to become a different store.

The UPS Store The discount, if available, is store-by-store, you must ask for it. You must notify them you are a home educator. It would be helpful to show your homeschool support group card.  The discount, I believe (ask first!), is available on copying, laminating and binding services. It is a 10% discount.

While updating this page, The UPS Store has a promotion of 20% off printing services. Check location near you to see if they have the offer. Limit one coupon per customer. Offer expires 10/29/2024. https://www.theupsstore.com/