It's back-to-school season and this year is expected to be especially strong for U.S. retailers. According to the latest forecast from credit card company Mastercard, back-to-school sales throughout America are expected to grow 6.7% from 2019 levels and 5.5% from last year during the Covid-19 pandemic's zenith. With vaccinated parents and students looking for a fresh start and to put the global pandemic behind them, spending on back to school items is expected to be robust.