As students prepare for Monday’s first school bells, many parents already hit by the crumbling economy are reeling from hundreds of dollars spent on supplies and fees they believe ought to be covered by a “free” public education.

“Money-wise, it’s harder than Christmastime,” said Megan Kirkes, a stay-at-home mother of five children, four of whom attend Montgomery County Public Schools. Kirkes’ husband recently was laid off from his job as a credit counselor, crippling the family’s income and forcing the family to shut off their phone service.