SWEETWATER, FLA. (WSVN) - A tax holiday on certain school items is now in session across the Sunshine State.

Back-to-school season is here, and parents are ready to usher their excited students off to class.

“I’m looking to have a great year, learn some new things at school,” said a student.

The items they may need are a little cheaper this month.

Parents have been taking trips to the store to buy school supplies, as Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday begins.

Tax breaks include the following:

  • Clothing, footwear, backpacks and diaper bags under $100.
  • Certain school supplies costing $50 or less
  • Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles for $30 or less
  • Personal computers and other accessories for $1,500 or less.

It’s a sweet deal for those getting ready to learn.

“Finding a really cool backpack, something like my type of style, pens, cool coloring pencils,” said a student.

“I’m looking for some new notebooks,” said another student.

At the Target store in Kendall, shoppers were taking advantage of the deals on Friday.

“Some of the big sellers that we do have are our $5 backpacks, for deals-worthy. We have $3 lunch boxes, we also have really, really good deals going on, again, with uniforms and kids apparel that you get to save lots on,” said Target Store Director Alicia Michael.

And, with the increased rush of customers, Michael said they are ready.

“We’ve been really, really busy in stores; we’ve already seen, not only in-store guest traffic, but we also have digital guests who’ve been shopping online,” she said.

Over at Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater, big crowds poured in as stores began promoting the big tax-free deals, with shoppers having plenty of places to choose from.

“The mall has Burlington, it has Ross, Children’s Place, it has most of the stores [where] I usually get everything I need for the kids,” said a mother.

Shoppers have been extra busy, arriving extra early, with some thinking they’ve come to just the right place.

“There’s a lot of options here, lot of Burlingtons, lot of Rosses, so I think we found a good mall to shop at,” said a student.

So if you’re in the need for pens, markers, notebooks, folders, colored pencils and, of course, backpacks, tax-free time is now.

The tax holiday runs through the month and ends Aug. 31.

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