If you’re still staring at a half-finished school-supply list, you’re not alone. Back-to-school shopping always seems simple until you’re standing in an aisle trying to figure out whether your child needs the red plastic folder with pockets, the red paper folder with brads or some very specific folder that appears to exist only at one store across town.
Cypress families will get a little help with the cost this weekend. Texas’ 2026 sales-tax holiday starts Friday, Aug. 7, and continues through midnight Sunday, Aug. 9, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
The timing works out well for many local parents. Cypress-Fairbanks ISD students return to class Wednesday, Aug. 12. That gives families one final weekend to track down school supplies, replace outgrown shoes and find a clear backpack that has at least some chance of making it through the semester.
I know a tax-free weekend does not make school shopping free. Those receipts can still grow fast, especially when you’re buying for more than one child. Still, skipping sales tax on eligible items can help, and the savings may be worth paying attention to when you’re buying several outfits, pairs of shoes or backpacks.
