Kids in our school district start riding the bus in Kindergarten. They might need to bring a jacket or sweater in their backpack. In the winter they need to often bring snowpants to school. Additionally, if it is snowy, they need to change out of the boots they wore into dry shoes for the classroom. Teachers send home school projects in the backpack as well as newsletters and communications in a folder each day. Only now that my son is in 5th grade does he actually come home with heavier books, mostly only one at a time.

I can't imagine what goofy parent would spend $55 on a backpack for their child. In first grade we got a clearance backpack for $5 for my son. He still loves this backpack and it has held up for 4 years.