Even though 16 to 18 states have back-to-school sales tax breaks and retailers are offering big sales for families, the National Education Association still recently estimated that the cost of back-to-school supplies has risen by as much as 42% this year.While some have gone up as little as 17%, other essential items have risen by over 40% of their previous costs. Families will spend an estimated average of $922 per student on school supplies this fall, 47% more than last year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, putting substantial strain on parents with multiple children. Just sending two children to school can cost as much as $1,844 out of pocket, causing a steep rise in what’s known as the “backpack tax.” That’s far from the “free” moniker often assigned to public education, exposing the truth hidden behind the cost-free label.And with better educational options available through school choice programs, families have to wonder why they don’t apprise themselves of private, charter, and magnet schools if they’re going to be on the hook for a double-digit price hike for basic learning tools. Which raises the question: If districts demand that parents better manage their money to afford additional mandatory costs, why doesn’t the state trust those same parents with the financial agency of school choice?