The 2026/2027 school year is officially underway, but the primary talk of the town is the heavy financial burden families face for textbooks, stationery, school meals, and transport. According to consumer watchdog Codacons, total startup costs can spike up to €1,300 per student, marking steady increases for supplies and texts. This figure was swiftly challenged by Federcartolai Confcommercio, which dismissed the estimate as "inflated" and recycled year after year without actual market verification.
To mitigate expenses, families are increasingly turning to the used book market and school-managed book-lending programs. Nationally, standout regions include Friuli Venezia Giulia - which guarantees free textbook loans for middle and high schools - and Valle d’Aosta, which has provided completely free school supplies and books for primary and secondary students since 1975. Meanwhile, unions like Uil are calling for stronger state investment to truly safeguard the right to education.