As schools resumed in early October in Senegal, families are facing significant costs associated with the 2026-2027 school year. These expenses include registration fees, increasingly extensive supply lists, and mandatory school uniforms. The return to school arrives after a period of already high spending for many families—following the *hivernage*, *Magal*, and vacations—often depleting savings. Parents in markets in Dakar and other cities report that prices for supplies like notebooks, backpacks, and fabric are not decreasing, while school supply lists continue to grow longer. For households with multiple children, back-to-school expenses now represent one of the largest annual expenditures, potentially exceeding a month’s salary. Public elementary school registration is nominally free, but parents typically pay association dues ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 francs CFA, alongside supplies costing 15,000 to 25,000 francs CFA and uniforms from 7,500 to 15,000 francs CFA, plus a backpack. Overall, a child in a public elementary school costs an average of 30,000 to 60,000 francs CFA for *la rentrée*.